History Matters The Birth of Science in a Darkened Room The father of modern optics could not have succeeded had he not feigned madness. Pippo Carmona | Published in History Today Volume 69 Issue 4 April 2019 To continue reading this article you will need to purchase access to the online archive. Buy Online Access Buy Print & Archive Subscription If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.