Robert L. Fleischer Knihy

The book explores a groundbreaking discovery in nuclear physics from the late 1950s, where scientists found that charged particles create latent tracks in mica when exposed. This phenomenon, revealed through chemical etching, has led to innovative applications across various fields including geology, materials science, archaeology, and art history. The author details the history and significance of this technique, illustrating its potential for measuring radioactivity and creating fine filters, making the content accessible even to those with basic physics knowledge.

In the late 1950s, scientists at General Electric -- among them the author -- discovered that when mica is exposed to energetic charged particles, the particles leave latent tracks in the material. It soon turned out that glass, plastics, or certain other materials can be similarly treated. This discovery paved the way not only for a new and useful method of measuring radioactivity, it has also found widespread applications in other fields, ranging from geology and materials science to archaeology and art history. Fleischer presents the history of these developments and discusses the applications of the technique in a way that will interest anyone even with only a minimal knowledge of physics.