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1500
The Beginning of the Scientific Revolution: The New Study of Nature
Some time during the 1500s, the Scientific Revolution began with the New Study of Nature, which was a way scientist developed a new way of observing their surroundings by using 3 new tools: Scientific instruments, mathematics and experiments.
This system enhanced the way scientists study to the point where most scientists even use these methods of study to conduct their experiments today. -
1500
Copernicus' Heliocentric Theory
In the early 1500s, Nicolaus Copernicus disregarded the geocentric theory written by Ptolemy to develop his own, Heliocentric theory stating that the earth, and many of the other planets in space, revolved around the sun.
His theory greatly affected the way that people thought the universe worked in the 1500s, to the point where, although many chose to ignore the theory, some were questioning the old teachings of the church. -
1543
Andreas Vesalius' Studies on Human Anatomy
Andreas Vesalius was a Chemist who listened to the words of Leonardo Da Vinci. He was one of the first people to research human anatomy. In 1543 he published a 7 volume book containing what were considered to be extremely detailed illustrations of the human body. The illustrations included in the book gave the many reading it a solid understanding of our anatomy.
Vesalius' work most likely inspired a multitude of others to continue the studies, creating jobs in our modern society years later. -
Kepler's Contribution to Heliocentric Theory
In 1609, a German Astronomer: Johannes Kepler published his laws of planetary motion, providing evidence to support Copernicus' Heliocentric theory. He used models, observations and mathematics to help write these works, but he was slowed by the fact that some of the principals Copernicus based his theory on were incorrect.
I believe this is important for two reasons.
A) He contributed to our understanding of the universe
B) He developed an effective way for scientists to research -
Francis Bacon's Scientific Theories
Francis Bacon was an English Philosopher and Scientist who, much like Descartes, established a theory explaining how to properly prove scientific theories. It states that "No assumption could be trusted unless it could be proven by repeatable experiments."
This theory has also affected how modern scientists answer questions.
It has given them a second option, giving them a way to prove theories that can only be shown by physical means. -
William Harvey's Circulatory Studies
In 1628, English Physician William Harvey contributed to the Scientific Revolution by experimenting with and studying the human heart, and the Circulation of Blood in Human and Animal Bodies. He even described how blood moved through veins and arteries.
Harvey's work was an important contribution to the Scientific Revolution because like the work of Vesalius, helped to establish a better understanding of our human bodies, and how they work. -
Galileo's Contribution to Heliocentric Theory
Galileo Galilei invented a telescope to help prove that Copernicus' Heliocentric theory was correct. Using his telescope, he saw multiple things in space, such as Sun Spots, Saturn's rings, and Moons orbiting Jupiter! He sketched and later published his findings proving that Heliocentric theory was correct. This caused an uproar.
This is important because Galileo provided enough evidence to prove the theory correct, gave us the telescope and even provided new understanding of our universe. -
Descartes
René Descartes, a French Philosopher and Mathematician, was considered a "Leader of the Scientific Revolution". He established a method of questioning stating "All assumptions had to be proven on the basis of known facts".
Descartes' method of questioning was a key contribution to the scientific revolution because of it's relevance in modern day science.
We use a system called Claim Evidence Reasoning in science and I now believe that the structure is somewhat based on Descartes' statement. -
Robert Boyle's Contribution to Modern Chemistry
Robert Boyle, an English-Irish Scientist, showed us how temperature and pressure are able to affect the space that a gas occupies.
Boyle's discovery is important to not only the scientific revolution, but also modern chemistry because he "helped to pioneer the modern science of chemistry", therefore without Robert Boyle or his discovery, modern chemistry wouldn't exist and many people would be out of jobs. -
Isaac Newton invents Calculus
Around the year 1665, the Famous English Thinker Isaac Newton developed the idea for a new branch of Mathematics called Calculus.
Although Gottfried Liebnitz also worked to create Calculus, the two worked separately.
I believe that this was an important contribution to the scientific revolution because it presented an entirely new branch of a fairly important subject, which is still being taught even today, more than 300 years later. -
Gottfried Liebniz Invents Calculus
Although German Gottfried Liebniz had the initial idea for Calculus in 1674, he didn't publish it until 1784.
The thinking of he and Isaac Newton were similar, they were separate, and therefore did not plagiarize each other.
I believe that this was an important contribution to the scientific revolution because it presented an entirely new branch of a fairly important subject, which is still being taught even today, more than 300 years later. -
The Discovery of Bacteria by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
In the year 1676, Dutch Scientist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria while looking through a microscope. He named the single-cell organisms he discovered "animalcules". He studied them and later wrote about the "whole range of tiny life forms never before seen by the human eye"
His discovery was important to the scientific revolution because it provided information on an entirely new subject, and really pioneered a whole new area of science. Today, we're still discovering new bacterium! -
Isaac Newton's Contribution to the Scientific Revolution
In 1687, Isaac Newton published a book building off the information that Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo collected on the Heliocentric theory AND explaining what force was pulling the planets in such a way and how. He also conducted experiments that showed that the force that pulled the planets in orbit and the forces that pulled things down on earth were the same.
Newton was able to enhance our understanding of gravity and provide scientific properties that are still extremely relevant today. -
Joseph Priestly and Oxygen
While English Chemist Joseph Priestly discovered the element oxygen in 1774, it was named by the French Scientist Antoine Lavoisier later on.
Joseph Priestley's discovery of the element was important to the scientific revolution because of the basic knowledge it provided. No longer were people going around calling air "That stuff we breath", they now had a more scientific name for it, and explanation to what the space around them contained, even when they couldn't see it. -
Antoine Lavoisier's Law of Conservation of Matter
Lavoisier, a French Scientist, proved that matter has the ability to change it's form, but you are unable to create or destroy it after showing that steam can mix with air and then disappear. He called this idea the Law of Conservation of Matter. This principal is one of the most important to the study of Chemistry.
As one of the most important principals to the study of modern Chemistry, I'd say that Lavoisier's Law of Conservation of Matter was a remarkable contribution to the revolution.
