The Invisible Colours of the Universe: UB Editions publishes a popular work that uncovers the exciting electromagnetic spectrum

What do radio, microwaves and the colours of the rainbow have in common? These forms of radiation, apparently unrelated, are part of the same natural phenomenon: the electromagnetic spectrum. The physicist Pere Serra, in the new book Tots els colours de l’Univers. La descoberta de l'espectre de radiació electromagnètica, published by UB Editions as part of the collection Catàlisi, tells the story of one of the most revolutionary discoveries in modern science. In a style that combines scientific rigour with historical narrative, the author guides readers through the experiments and intuitions that, over centuries, made it possible to understand this spectrum of which we still only perceive a small part today, the part that is visible to the eye. 

The book begins with a young Newton who, in 1666, broke down sunlight and showed that it contained all its colours. However, this discovery was only the first step on a journey full of surprises and challenges, which Serra masterfully recounts. The book takes us to meet fascinating characters, such as a French aristocrat who imagined the existence of invisible light and a German musician who, based on an experiment, confirmed that this hidden light was more than a product of fantasy. 

With Tots els colours de l’Univers, Serra also makes visible the work of scientists who, driven by curiosity and perseverance, challenged established ideas. From radio waves to gamma rays, the physicist invites readers to explore the variety of electromagnetic radiation and reveals how each one has transformed our daily lives, from communication systems to medical devices.

Pere Serra Coromina is a professor at the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Barcelona, with a research career in the field of microfabrication of electronic, optical and biomedical devices using lasers. Since 2018, he has been Vice-Dean of Students and Quality at the Faculty of Physics and has recently received the Jaume Vicens Vives distinction for university teaching quality in recognition of his teaching excellence and commitment to students, a task that he combines with the publication of numerous scientific articles and participation in international conferences. But this popularization work distances him from academic language and allows him to explore a more narrative style, aimed at both experts and the curious about science. 

This book is the latest addition to the collection Catàlisi, devoted to popularizing science from different fields: biology, chemistry, physics, geology, statistics, the environment, mathematics, etc. Directed by David Bueno, the collection has more than sixty titles, most of which are also available as e-books. Among the latest works published are Dones? Homes? Sexe i gènere, biologia i cultura, by Jordi Casanova i Roca; Herédate. Cómo influyen en nuestro comportamiento los genes y la biología, by David Bueno y Torrens, and De generació en generació. Com rebem i transmetem els gens, by Francesc Mestres i Naval. 

With Tots els colours de l’Univers, UB Editions not only disseminates scientific knowledge, but also opens a window onto the history of ideas, and the fascinating invisible reality that surrounds us, of which we only perceive a small part: visible light.