Isaac Newton is best known for his theory about the law of gravity, but his three laws of motion greatly influenced the Enlightenment in Europe. Newton was born in 1643 in Woolsthorpe, England and began developing his his theories on light, calculus, and celestial mechanics while on break from Cambridge University, a prestigious school.
Issac Newton was believed to be the inventor of calculus until a man by the name of Gottfried Liebniz challenged this. Newton, being the head of the Royal Society, stated that his work had laid the basis for Liebniz's discoveries and therefore only he should be credited. The legal battle went on for many more years, even after Liebniz's death. It was later ruled that both men had come to their conclusions independently.
Fun Facts:
- The classic story that involves an apple falling on top of Newton's head never happened.
- Newton's dog set his laboratory on fire, ruining twenty years of research.
- Newton was a member of Parliament for a year, but he didn't speak up much. The one time he did it was to tell someone to close a window.
Isaac Newton:
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