追逐極光，目睹那天啟般的夢幻景象，已成為許多旅人畢生必須實現的夢想。上個月的強大太陽風暴，使全世界高緯度地區迎來一場二十年來規模最大的極光爆發，大量驚為天人的影像紀錄在網路瘋傳。目前光是英國的極光情報推特帳號＠AuroraWatchUK，就有多達六萬三千人追蹤！

然而，對於極光現象的生成原理，它的科學、歷史、不斷變換的面貌，我們真正所知多少？

電漿（plasma）物理學家Melanie Windridge將在本書《Seeing the Lights》中描述個人的北極光追尋之旅，在發現北極光的視覺之美的同時，亦探索極光的民俗傳說與科學背景，包括日漸形成的太空氣候威脅，書中的專業知識將挑戰普遍關於極光形成原理的說法。

極光，是自然界匯聚天文、地質、磁力、核子物理的各種力量，才創造出的數一數二撼動人心的科學奇景。作者足跡遍及瑞典、挪威、冰島、加拿大，在不同自然地景觀察北極光。書中結合文句優雅的旅紀與科學分析，透過北極光與北極迷人的故事，生動帶出複雜的電漿物理學原理，以平易近人的方式為一般大眾讀者說明，是兼具一本感性美與知識性，令人萬分期待的科普之作。

 

Dr Melanie Windridge is a plasma physicist and science communicator who works as a consultant for science and technology start-up companies and in education. She has a PhD in Plasma Physics from Imperial College London and is one of the faces of the Your Life campaign for women in science and mathematics: http://www.yourlife.org.uk/.

Melanie is an experienced public speaker who regularly lectures on fusion energy and the northern lights. She has written a general introductory book on fusion energy, Star Chambers: The Race to Fusion Power, published by White Label Books, and has had articles published online by The Times and the Guardian. Her media work has included radio and television (BBC, National Geographic, Green TV) as well as a number of blog and podcasts. Currently, she is Business Development Manager of Tokamak Energy - a fusion start-up - and an Educational Consultant for the Ogden Trust, which promotes physics education. She is an academic visitor at Imperial College London.

Melanie is a keen alpine climber and skier who believes that science and exploration go hand in hand.