The evolution of surfaces and their measurement

Surfaces and their interactions are at the heart of living systems and all moving objects.
They have fascinated man from the ancient Egyptians, through Leonardo Da Vinci in the
Renaissance period, to nanotechnologists of today. This paper elucidates the science of
surfaces and their interactions, covering the importance of surfaces and how they influence us
all in terms of energy, environment and quality of life. It attempts to uncover the story of
mankind‟s deepening understanding of surfaces and their measurement, and to provide an
overview of surface measurement and shows how current thinking has evolved from a
complicated historical background.