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Jan 1, 1510
Copernicus
Born in Poland. He introduced the theory that the sun was the center of the universe, rather than the Earth - one of the first major steps towards today's modern scientific facts. Interesting Fact:
The chemical element Copernicum is named after Copernicus. It has the symbol Cn and atomic number 112. -
Kepler
Born in Germany. Kepler revised beliefs of planetary motion - found the Elliptical orbit, and realized that the area covered is still equal to the time traveled by a planet at any point. (a^3=p^2) Interesting Fact:
He was quoted as saying "I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.” -
Galileo
Born in Italy. Further proved Copernicus' theory that objects did not all orbit the earth (saw other moons), created a better telescope. Interesting Fact:
A survey showed that nearly one third of the UK associates the name Galileo with wine, fashion, or a famous ship before associating it with astronomy. -
Snell
Born in the Netherlands. After various experiments with light using prisms and observing its behavior, Snell popularized the ability of light to be refracted. Interesting Fact:
This property of light was actually discovered by Ibn Sahl in the year 984, but had been attributed to Snell anyway. -
Hooke
Born in the UK. Hooke discovered that the force to extend/compress a spring is proportional to the distance of the compression/extension. Interesting Fact:
Many asteroids and craters on the Moon and Mars are named after Hooke. -
Newton
Born in the UK. Isaac Newton is considered one of the most influential scientists ever. He formulated the three laws of motion and introduced the theory of universal gravitaion. Interesting Fact:
Newton was once a member of Parliament - the only time he ever spoke was to ask someone to close a nearby window. -
Franklin
Born in the USA. Benjamin Franklin coined positive and negative charges over their previously-used terms, along with conducting his famous kite experiment and studying capacitors in series. Interesting Fact:
Due to bullying and abuse from his brother, Franklin ran away from home to Philadelphia in 1723. -
Watt
Born in the UK. Watt introduced the concept of horsepower and improved steam engines by almost 100% by adding another condenser to prevent wasted energy from escaping. Interesting Fact:
He once served as an apprentice to a mathematical instrument maker but quickly outgrew his tutor in knowledge. -
Avogadro
Born in Italy. Avogadro's greatest contribution was the he defined the number of particles in one mole of any substance. Interesting Fact:
Though he was once a successful lawyer, Galileo left that career to pursue his interests in math and natural philosophy. -
Ampere
Born in France. Ampere greatly advanced knowledge of electromagnetism, most significantly through his introduction of the theory of electrons. Interesting Fact:
On his deathbed in 1836, Ampère ordered that an inscription be placed upon his tombstone: Tandem Felix (Happy at Last). -
Ohm
Born in Germany. Ohm found relationship between voltage and current (thus the unit of resistance being named after him). Interesting Fact:
Ohm's parents had no education, but his father still taught him using his own techniques. -
Doppler
Born in Austria. Doppler discovered how to study waves and their frequency, which led to his coinage of the "Doppler Effect," or the effect percieved by an observer as a sound or light moves towards/away from that observer. Interesting Fact:
Despite his discoveries and innovative lectures, Doppler was not liked by his students and was regarded as unkind. -
Joule
Born in the UK. Joule discovered the relation of thermal energy and mechanical energy - effectively introducing the concepts of thermodynamics. Interesting Fact:
Joule was not only a scientist, but also the sun of a wealthy brewer. -
Hertz
Born in Germany. Hertz is most known for credibly proving the existance of electromagnetic waves. Interesting Fact:
There is a crater on the far side of the moon named in Hertz's honor. -
Tesla
Born in Croatia. As a counterpart to Thomas Edison's direct current, Tesla discovered the alternating current and made it practical to use. Interesting Fact:
Tesla once used an oscillator to match the frequency of the Earth in his area and created a small earthquake in New York City. -
Kelvin
Born in the UK. Kelvin was known for correctly calculating absolute zero. While the theory was well known at the time, he was the first to accurately finalize an exact temperature (-273.15ºC). Interesting Fact:
Kelvin was the first scientist in the House of Lords, and his motto was "Honesty without fear." -
Einstein
Born in Germany. Albert Einstein created the theory of relativity and defined the formula E =mc^2. (Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared). Interesting Fact:
Einstein eventually left his first wife to marry his own cousin - he said they got along better.