Color Scientists

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle developed the first recorded theory of color. He postulated that all colors came from white and black and connected them to the four elements—air, water, earth, and fire. Scientific study regarding color theory started in the 1660s when English mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton began a series of experiments with sunlight and prisms. His experiments proved that clear white light was composed of seven visible colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). “By scientifically establishing our visible spectrum (the colors we see in a rainbow), Newton laid the path for others to experiment with color in a scientific manner,” according to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. “His work led to breakthroughs in optics, physics, chemistry, perception, and the study of color in nature.” The study, measurement, and manipulation of color became especially important in the 20^th and 21^st centuries as color became an essential element in manufactured goods, lighting, and digital imaging and products—with color scientists playing a key role in many industries.