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A historical study tracing the shared origins of Crookes’ radiometer and Geissler’s light-mill—two 19th-century inventions that fused physics, glasswork, and the aesthetics of luminous motion.About The Research Lab Library
The Research Lab Library is a curated collection of resources on neon and plasma—spanning history, science, artist practice, and learning materials. Each entry provides direct access to archives, articles, and media that support contextual writing and research, with sources cited for deeper exploration.
Accessed and Translated by Sean Bradley of the Research Lab for the Rakow Research Library at Corning Museum of Glass. DESCRIPTION: Originally published in The Journal of the History of Science (1989), “Crookes’ Radiometer and Geissler’s Light-Mill: Cooperation or Competition?” investigates the intertwined development of two 19th-century scientific instruments that shaped both experimental physics and aesthetic understandings of light. The paper examines William Crookes’ radiometer—a device demonstrating light’s pressure on matter—and Heinrich Geissler’s light-mill, a decorative yet functional glass apparatus that visualized electrical glow discharges. Through archival correspondence, laboratory notes, and museum records, the author reveals how these inventions reflected competing philosophies of science and craft: Crookes’ pursuit of quantifiable physics versus Geissler’s artisanal exploration of luminous spectacle. This article offers crucial historical context for artists and researchers working with plasma, vacuum tubes, and gas discharge phenomena, bridging 19th-century experimental optics with today’s luminous art practices. It’s an essential resource for understanding how early collaborations—and rivalries—between scientists and glassworkers seeded the lineage of modern neon and plasma sculpture.
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