French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (pronounced Fray-nell) invented his Fresnel lens in 1822 as a way to emit the strongest, most focused glow from a lighthouse. Extremely lightweight with less volume required than convex lenses of comparable strength, Fresnel lenses are now used in numerous applications, from traffic lights and headlights to LED magnifiers. Joe Colombo, displaying his characteristically innovative approach, designed his Fresnel Outdoor Light (1964) using an industrial product (the Fresn…read more