Scientific Revolution

Nicholas Copernicus

Feb 19, 1473

Nicholas Copernicus was an astronomer and mathematician. He wrote "Commentariolus" which circulated from 1507-1514 outlining his early version of the Heliocentric Theorem. Also famous for "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium" first printed in 1543.

Francis Bacon

Jan 22, 1561

A famous English philospher who died of catching pneumonia while studying the way meat freezes. Though he's considered a philosopher, Bacon really just proposed on developing the method of philosophy. In 1620, he published "The Novum Organum", a philosophical work. Also created the scientific method and argued for experimental methodology.

Galileo Galilei

Feb 15, 1564

Italian mathematician, astronomer and physicist, Galileo conrtibuted greatly to the Scientific Revolution which is why they call him "Father of Modern Science". He made improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations.
"Galileo, perhaps more than any other person, was responsible for the birth of modern science." - Stephen Hawking

Johannes Kepler

Dec 27, 1571

German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. Wrote "Astronimia Nova" and "Harmonices Mundi" which would lay down the foundation for Issac Newtons "Universal Gravitation". He is best known, however, for his "Eponymous Laws of Planetary Motion". Geing Tycho Brahe's student, he didnt agree with Tychos interpretation of data. He also disagreed with Copericus claiming that other bodies moved in an elliptical motion as opposed to circular. Using Tychos data he theorized 3 laws of planetary motion

Rene Descartes

Mar 31, 1596

French philosopher who is the reason for geometry today. His work "La Geometrie" included his application of algebra to geometry. In 1641, he published "A Discourse on Method, Meditations on First Philosophy" his first major philosophical work.

Tycho (Psycho) Brahe

Dec 14, 1601

Danish nobleman known for his astronomical and planetary observations as well as the fact that he was an alchemist. He had a fake nose because of an experiment that went wrong and a pet moose. In 1537, his "De Nova Stella" destroyed the theory of the Celestial Spheres proving the celestial heavens were not immutable as Aristotle and Ptolemy had assumed. He theorized a system distinct from both Ptolemaic and Copernicus theories.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Oct 24, 1632

A Dutch scientist known as "The Father of Microbiology". He is known for making improvements to the microscope and his conrtibutions toward microbiology. He constructed single lens microscopes and published a book around 1660 over his observations which opened the world of micro-biology.

Trial of Galileo

Jun 22, 1633

A trial in which Galileo was charged with heresy because of his support of his new discoveries . However, these new discoveries questioned the scientific understanding of the heavens that everyone believed in at the time and therefore caused a disturbance.

Sir Issac Newton

Dec 25, 1642

One of the greates intellects of all time, Issac Newton was a mathematician and physicist. "Philisophie Naturalis Principia Mathematica", which he published in 1687, is considered one of the most important scientific books ever written.

Academy of Sciences

Jan 1, 1666

Founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the Academy of Sciences was first discussed by eminent figures such as Galileo and Descartes. It was seen as a forum for developing science but ended up taking responisbilties for patents and technology. In total there we 56 scientist divided into two main categories Mathematical Sciences (geometry,mechanics and astronomy) and Physical Sciences (chemistry,botany and anatomy).