Resonance & Radiance: How Light Reveals the Chemistry of Our World

A narrative and illustrated exploration of the singular field of spectroscopy.

How the interaction of light and molecules is not only a science of astonishing beauty, but also a powerful analytical tool, from assessing air quality to medical imaging.

So much of what we know about our world—everything we can see, and much of what we can’t—is through spectroscopy. By shining different types of light through the air—infrared, visible, and ultraviolet—we can measure the pollutants in our air and determine an air quality index. Using radio frequency light and superconducting magnets, we can “see” into our bodies with magnetic resonance imaging. Spectrometers allow us to see what is happening on the molecular level, like a telescope to the atomic realm. In Resonance & Radiance, spectroscopist Debbie Gale Mitchell brings these discoveries to life through beautifully illustrated chapters that reveal how photons with different wavelengths of light serve as nature’s messenger.

Spectroscopy powers some of science’s most transformative applications—tools for measuring greenhouse gases, lasers for surgery,  CT imaging, and genetic sequencing—yet few realize the breadth of its impact on our daily lives. The author traces these elegant connections between chemistry, physics, and engineering, inviting readers to discover the beauty and hidden complexity of our world. Light is the ultimate messenger—and this book teaches us how to see its message.