Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Today in History: Fresnel introduces polarization terms to French Academy

12/9/2025

39 5

Summary

Story summary

On December 9, 1822, Augustin-Jean Fresnel presented a memoir to the French Academy of Sciences, introducing the terms linear, circular, and elliptical polarization. He conducted a direct refraction experiment that confirmed his theory linking optical rotation to birefringence, significantly advancing the understanding of light behavior and laying groundwork for future optical research.

1 of 1

Story summary

On December 9, 1822, Augustin-Jean Fresnel presented a memoir to the French Academy of Sciences, introducing the terms linear, circular, and elliptical polarization. He conducted a direct refraction experiment that confirmed his theory linking optical rotation to birefringence, significantly advancing the understanding of light behavior and laying groundwork for future optical research.