Today, 19th October 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of the death of British polymath Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875).

As The Stereoscopy Blog, we are obviously indebted to him for his invention of the stereoscope to demonstrate his theory of binocular vision, but it was just one aspect of his incredible research and inventions in numerous fields.

Despite his innovations, which still benefit our lives in multiple ways today, he seems to have been under-acknowledged, overlooked, or his work credited to others. A portion of this problem may be attributed to that fact that Wheatstone was described as being a shy person, who would rather work on, or excitedly discuss with a very small circle of friends, his ideas and research, than to spend time speaking publicly and promoting himself. There are no statues to this great man, his family’s grave is dilapidated and currently sinking into the ground, and, until a couple of months ago, no one was going to do anything to honour him today.

So we are here to try and start putting things right.

Today on the Stereoscopy Blog, you will find new posts going out every few hours, and I’m incredibly grateful to Victor Levy and Denis Pellerin for their efforts. I’m not giving any spoilers, but I can’t wait for you to read their very special articles.

Elsewhere, there is a brand new website www.charleswheatstone.com, which has been in the pipeline for a couple of years, and will hopefully serve as a focal point of flying the flag for this relatively unsung genius. You can learn about his life, inventions, contributions, and legacy, see what else is happening to commemorate him, plus there is lots more in the pipeline. It is hoped it will lay the foundations for him gaining more recognition and the credit he is due, as well as being a platform for future projects; time will tell.

So, please enjoy the efforts that have gone into commemorating Sir Charles Wheatstone this weekend, spend some time reflecting on his contributions and legacy, and I hope you’ll be able to find ways to join in the commemorations yourself.

Thank you to Sir Charles Wheatstone! He is certainly not forgotten.

#Wheatstone150

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