"Young's polymathy gave him a unique understanding of the world but also damned him to be forgotten by it, Until now, of course,"--Seed magazine

"Anyone interested in what it means to be a genius should read this book,"--American Scientist

Born in 1773, Thomas Young lived in a pivotal time. The explosion of knowledge that was soon to come would make it impossible for anyone to master multiple disciplines--the definition of a true polymath--making Young the last of a dying breed. Challenging the theories of Isaac Newton, he was the first to prove that light is a wave; his work on the Rosetta Stone was instrumental in deciphering the language of the ancient Egyptians; and his study of the human eye led him to formulate the three-color theory of vision, more than a century before it could be proved. His contributions to science are truly staggering, and yet, Young was ridiculed and rejected by the scientific establishment throughout his lifetime and is virtually unknown today.

In The Last Man Who Knew Everything, celebrated biographer Andrew Robinson returns this forgotten genius to his proper position in the pantheon of great scientific thinkers.

Preface

Introduction

1 Child Prodigy

2 Fellow of the Royal Society

3 Itinerant Medical Student

4 'Phenomenon' Young

5 Physician of Vision

6 Royal Institution Lecturer

7 Let There Be Light Waves

8 'Natural Philosophy and the Mechanical Arts'

9 Dr Thomas Young, M.D., ER.C.P.

10 Readingthe Rosetta Stone

11 Waves of Enlightenment

12 Walking Encyclopedia

13 In the Public Interest

14 Grand Tour

15 Dueling with Champollion

16 A Universal Man

Notes and References

Bibliography

Index