Étienne-Louis Malus

Étienne-Louis Malus was a French physicist known for discovering that light can be polarized, meaning its waves can vibrate in specific directions. In 1808, he observed that when light passes through certain materials like polarized sunglasses or filters, its waves align in particular ways, which explained the phenomenon of polarization. This discovery was important for understanding light's nature and contributed to advancements in optics, photography, and 3D imaging. Malus's work provided fundamental insights into how light behaves, helping scientists better understand electromagnetic waves and the principles underlying many modern technologies.