-
Oct 31, 1451
Christopher Columbus
Columbus siteChristopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, hoping to find a route to India (in order to trade for spices). He made a total of four trips to the Caribbean and South America during the years1492-1504.He took four trips to and from the 'New Land'. On the return trip, the Santa Maria was wrecked and the captain of the Pinta sailed off on his own to try to beat Columbus back. Columbus returned to Spain in the Nina, arriving on March 15,1493 -
May 13, 1472
Georg Peurbach's New Theory of the Planets
New Theory of the PlanetsPeuerbach’s best-known work, the Theoricae novae planetarum (1454; “New Theories of the Planets”), began as lectures to the Viennese “Citizens’ School” (Bürgerschule), which Regiomontanus copied in his notebook. An influential university textbook, the Theoricae novae planetarum eventually replaced the widely used, anonymous 13th-century Theorica planetarum communis (the common “Theory of the Planets”).By the late 17th century, this textbook had appeared in more than 50 Latin and vernacular edits -
Feb 19, 1473
Nicolas Copernicus
Nicolaus CapernicusNicolaus Copernicus was born in Thorn, Poland on February 19, 1473. He was the son of a wealthy merchant. After his father's death, he was raised by his mother's brother, a bishop in the Catholic Church. Copernicus studied mathematics and astronomy at the University of Krakow. Through his uncle's influence Copernicus was appointed a canon (church official) of the Catholic Church. He used the income from the position to help pay for additional studies. -
Feb 19, 1531
Juan Luis Vives
Juan Luis VivesLuis Vives is not easy to classify as a philosopher. His education was that available at the time, especially in the Paris Faculty of Arts, that is to say the various strands of scholasticism based on Aristotle, although in his Censura de Aristotelis operibus [Critique of Aristotle’s Works] (1538) he specifies his position as follows: ‘Viewing the matter as carefully and thoroughly as possible, I conclude that pride of place must be given to Aristotle.’ -
Feb 21, 1561
Gabriele Falloppio
Falloppio tubesGabriele Falloppio announces his dicovery of the fallopian tubes in his anatomical obeservations.«Here at Padua I have observed and pointed out to my spectators double urinary passages and double sinuses in the middle of each human kidney, as well as many other things departing from the normal.» -
Joost Brugi invents a novel design
Novel designA talented clockmaker, Joost Brugi invents a novel design for an escapement that greatly increased accuracy. As nanotechnology becomes ever more ubiquitous, researchers are using it to make medical diagnostics smaller, faster and cheaper in order to better diagnose diseases, learn more about inherited traits and more. -
Walter Charleton's presents atomism
WebsiteWalter Charleton's (1620-1707) presents atomism to the English in his highly influential work, Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charletoniana, a paraphrase, sometimes a caricature, of the ideas present by Pierre Gassendi. It now seems likely that this is the major source of Newton's information about Gassendi's work on atomism and the Frenchman's views on the probable character of knowledge.
