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Ernst Mach Birth
Ernst Mach was born in Moravia, Czech Republic on February 18, 1838. -
Designed apparatus to test Doppler Theory
Mach designed a 6-foot apparatus with a whistle on one end that could rotate on the vertical axis. This apparatus proved that fluctuations in pitch of the while could be heard for an observer not on the direct line of the whistle's vertical axis. Although this experiment dealt with sound, Mach is typically credited with with being one of the first researchers to recognize it was possible to study a star's spectrum and study it's movement. -
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Studied/Lectured Physics at the University of Vienna
Ernst studied physics at the University of Vienna from 1855 to 1861. He remained at the University as a lecturer until 1864. -
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Professor of Mathematics
Ernst spent two years as a Professor of Mathematics at Graz, from approximately 1864 to 1866. He exchanged his math position for a new seat in Physics in 1866. -
Published first work on Mach Bands
Mach published his first article titled "On the effect of the spatial distribution of the light stimulus on the retina", which would later become known as Mach Bands. Mach argued that optical illusions were not processing errors made by just the brain, but by the senses themselves. https://youtu.be/5qJ_iKDO7rQ -
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Received a Chair at Prague
In 1867, Mach earned a Chair position at Prague teaching physics which he retained until 1895. -
Published Die Mechanik in ihrer Entwickelung (Mechanics and Its Evolution)
Ernst published Die Mechanik in ihrer Entwickelung, which was later translated in 1893 by Thomas McCormick and was titled "The Science of Mechanics: A Critical and Historical Exposition of its Principles". A famous piece that came from this publication was the idea of Mach's Principle, that all masses in the universe with inertia are connected. This theory laid the groundwork for Einstein when he was working on his theories of relativity. -
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Chair at Vienna
Mach earned a Chair position in the History and Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences at Vienna for 6 years. -
Published The Analysis of Sensations
Mach published The Analysis of Sensations in 1897. This publication deals with the relationship between physics and physical science compared to psychological effects of our senses and perceptions. -
Suffered a Stroke
Mach suffered from a stroke in 1898, which left the right side of his body paralyzed. -
Retired
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Ernst Mach Death
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Sources
Pojman, Paul. “Ernst Mach.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 3 Mar. 2019, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ernst-mach/#BooEngTra. Mach, Ernst. “The Analysis of Sensations and the Relation of the Physical to the Psychical.” The Analysis of Sensations, https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/mach.htm. “Ernst Mach.” Famous Scientists: The Art of Genius, https://www.famousscientists.org/ernst-mach/.