Newton

Isaac Newton (1643-1727) is considered to be one of the greatest scientists to ever live. His work was highly influential in the fields of mathematics, physics, philosophy, and astronomy.

He is perhaps best known for his development of the calculus, for Universal Gravitation, and for his Laws of Motion. Calculus provided a method of mathematically describing many features of the natural world. With the Laws of Motion, he provided a basis for the field of Mechanics, describing how physical objects move and interact. His Universal Gravitation provided an explanation of the laws Kepler set out of the motion of the planets.

Newton's work on optics was also highly influential. As well as inventing a reflecting telescope, he was the first to use a prism to separate light into different colours. (In fact, this work led to his telescope work, as he realized that a telescope using lenses would always work imperfectly.) He also wrote an early explanation of rainbows. Newton believed that light was composed of particles, a belief that put him at odds with many of the other natural philosophers of his day.