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May 24, 1543
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at its center. The publication of this model in his book On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres just before his death in 1543 is considered a major event in the history of scientific progress.Video -
Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician, poet, and astrologer. He is celebrated for his cosmological theories which were regarded as heretical by the Catholic Church. Bruno was found guilty by the Roman Inquisition and burned at the stake.Execution Video -
Tycho Brahe
Science has many colorful figures, but nobody quite like Tycho Brahe. Beyond his astronomy genius, he lost his nose in a math-fueled duel, possibly inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet, and maybe made his even greater successor Johannes Kepler a murderer.Badass History Profile -
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, essayist, and author. He remains extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific method during the scientific revolution.Bacon has been called the father of empiricism.Video -
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his laws of planetary motion. His work also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton's theory of universal gravitation.Video -
Galileo Galilei
Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the scientific revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and support for Copernicanism. His book "Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems" was regarded as heresy by the Catholic Church.Video -
Rene Descartes
René Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and writer who has been called the father of modern philosophy. Descartes was also one of the key figures in the scientific revolution and has been described as an example of a genius. He refused to accept the authority of previous philosophers and also refused to accept the obviousness of his own senses.Video -
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician. He was the first doctor to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the brain and body by the heart. Video -
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was an English physicist and mathematician who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the scientific revolution. His book Principia Mathematica laid the foundations for classical mechanics. Newton also made significant discoveries in optics and gravity.Video -
Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke was an English natural philosopher, architect and genius technician. He achieved wealth and respect through his reputation for hard work and scrupulous honesty. He was party to jealous intellectual disputes which may have contributed to his relative historical obscurity.Video -
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch tradesman and scientist. He is commonly known as "the Father of Microbiology", and is considered to be the first microbiologist. He is best known for his work on the improvement of the microscope and for his contributions towards the establishment of microbiology.Video
