The son of an uneducated peasant, became one of the most brilliant scientific minds of all time

Newton, by William Blake; here, Newton is depicted critically as a "divine geometer". This copy of the work is currently held by the Tate Collection photo: wikipedia

Updated today 16/05/2020

Sir Isaac Newton 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726 was an English mathematician, astronomer, and physicist (described in his own day as a "natural philosopher") who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. 

His book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica ("Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy"), first published in 1687, laid the foundations of classical mechanics. Newton also made seminal contributions to optics, and he shares credit with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz for developing the infinitesimal calculus.

Isaac Newton. The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy Heritage Auctions

Newton's own copy of his Principia, with hand-written corrections for the second edition photo: wikipedia

Newton's Principia formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation that dominated scientists' view of the physical universe for the next three centuries. 

By deriving Kepler's laws of planetary motion from his mathematical description of gravity, and then using the same principles to account for the trajectories of comets, the tides, the precession of the equinoxes, and other phenomena, Newton removed the last doubts about the validity of the heliocentric model of the Solar System and demonstrated that the motion of objects on Earth and of celestial bodies could be accounted for by the same principles. 

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Newton's theoretical prediction that Earth is shaped as an oblate spheroid was later vindicated by the geodetic measurements of Maupertuis, La Condamine, and others, thus convincing most Continental European scientists of the superiority of Newtonian mechanics over the earlier system of Descartes.

Descartes_Systems_Group

Newton also built the first practical reflecting telescope and developed a sophisticated theory of colour based on the observation that a prism decomposes white light into the colours of the visible spectrum. 

Illustration of a dispersive prism decomposing white light into the colours of the spectrum, as discovered by Newton photo: wikipedia

Newton's work on light was collected in his highly influential book Opticks, first published in 1704. He also formulated an empirical law of cooling, made the first theoretical calculation of the speed of sound, and introduced the notion of a Newtonian fluid. 

In addition to his work on calculus, as a mathematician Newton contributed to the study of power series, generalised the binomial theorem to non-integer exponents, developed a method for approximating the roots of a function, and classified most of the cubic plane curves.

The first, 1704, edition of Opticks: or, a treatise of the reflexions, refractions, inflexions and colours of light. Author Isaac Newton image wikipedia

John's College, Cambridge Wikimedia Commons

Newton was a fellow of Trinity College and the second Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. He was a devout but unorthodox Christian, who privately rejected the doctrine of the Trinity and who, unusually for a member of the Cambridge faculty of the day, refused to take holy orders in the Church of England. 

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Beyond his work on the mathematical sciences, Newton dedicated much of his time to the study of alchemy and biblical chronology, but most of his work in those areas remained unpublished until long after his death.  

You may also like: Top 8: Looking for the elixir of immortality.

Politically and personally tied to the Whig party, Newton served two brief terms as Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge, in 1689–90 and 1701–02. He was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705 and he spent the last three decades of his life in London, where he served as Warden (1696–1700) and Master (1700–1727) of the Royal Mint, as well as president of the Royal Society (1703–1727).

Queen Anne in 1705 image wikipedia

Black Death contributed to one of the most important theories in History

In 1665, following an outbreak of bubonic plague in England, Cambridge University was closed, forcing Newton to return home at Woolsthorpe Manor. While there was in is garden, he saw an apple fall from a tree, an event that inspired him to formulate the famous law of universal gravitation. Newton later told him William Stukeley's incident, the author of his memoirs.

Original tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton to consider gravitation photo: UniverseToday.com

The tree exists today, and some apple that Newton saw him falling that day, in the garden Woolsthorpe Manor was taken into space in 2010 aboard the Atlantis space.


He was interested in alchemy


Isaac Newton was passionate about alchemy. He has devoted a great deal of time trying to create "Philosopher's Stone" which he believed he had the power to turn other metals into gold and to make people immortal.

photo: likesuccess.com

4. Newton was  a member of parliament

Between 1689 and 1690, Newton was a member of Parliament representing Cambridge University. His contribution was limited. He had spoken only once, when he asked a bailiff to close the window because it was cool. At that time he spent in London, Newton was met with several influential figures of the time, including King William III and philosopher John Locke.

William III of Orange, King of England & Scotland 1650 - 1702 Pinterest

5. He was knighted

In 1705 Newton was knighted by Queen Anne. At the time, he was a wealthy man after his mother inherited properties and published two papers bedside. Newton was buried in Westminster Abbey, the burial place of British monarchs, and other notable individuals who do not belong to the royal family (Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens or explorer David Livingstone).

Invenit Mundo presents the main historical significance of the day January 4:

1809 - He was born Louis Braille, inventor of the writing system for the blind (Braille, 1829) (d. January 6, 1852)

1841 - was born chemist Petru Poni, leading representative of the Romanian school of chemistry. (D. April 2, 1925)

1877 - was born in Brasov, Sextil Puşcariu writer, famous philologist and literary historian, member of the Romanian Academy (d. 1948).

1914 - In Romania formed a government headed by liberal I C I Brătianu, which lasted until January 29, 1918.

1926 - Romania's Parliament voted to accept giving up the throne Prince Charles ( "Act of January 4") and the recognition of his son, Prince Michael, as crown prince of Romania.

1954 - He died poet Elena Farago (Elena Paximade) ( "Puss punished", "Gândacelul" "lame puppy") (n. 29 martie1878)

1960 - A French writer Albert Camus died.

1970 - The actor died Mişu Fotino (father), founder of the State Theatre in Brasov. (N. 1886)

1990 - It was announced the abolition of the State Security Department.

1990 - Held the first press conference of the Group for Social Dialogue (GDS), consisting of personalities from the cultural, artistic and scientific.

1994 - At a meeting of Liberal leaders Horia Rusu and Dinu Patriciu, the PL-93 Steering Committee adopted an "open letter to all the liberal parties" document proposing a "unification through competition liberals".

1996 - Mircea Geoana received the approval of the US administration to take over the post of ambassador to Washington.

1998 - died composer Basil Veselovsky ( "Hope Street," "The sea would know it," "I deserve")

1999 - The miners in the Jiu Valley have joined the general strike, demanding urgent settlement of 30 claims regarding the state of the mining industry.

2004 - The Great Gathering traditional Afghan Loya Jirga adopted the new Constitution "Islamic Republic of Afghanistan".

2006 - He died in Montreal with Alzheimer's, Romanian-born Canadian poet Irving Layton Peter (Israel Pincu Lazarovitch). Since the 40s was recognized as one of the most prolific, versatile, revolutionary and controversial poets of school "modern" Canadian. S reputation was consolidated in the 50s and 60s, especially after the publication of "A Red Carpet for the Sun" in 1959. One of his students was famous Leonard Cohen, musician, writer, promoter of Canadian postmodernism. (B. March 12, 1912, Targu Neamt, Romania).

2008 - The biggest Roma camp in France, located on the outskirts of Paris (Saint-Ouen), was disbanded

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10 reasons to rewrite history

It is said that those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. Meanwhile, any historian will tell you that the past, often, is something that you did not want to relive it. Yet history, as we know it today abounds with myths and false personalities who have almost nothing in common with records or deeds attributed to them. Here are some of the major concepts that should be radically amended and that influenced people, wrongly, centuries or even millennia.

10. Eve had eaten the apple of sin

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, says a universal dictum. Yet, apples boasts one of the worst reputations when it comes to the myth of genesis and the first people fall into sin. Thousands of paintings, sculptures, works written or sung, it shows Eve eating of an apple and tempting Adam to taste the forbidden fruit of the same deity. Well, nowhere is mentioned in the holy

In fact, in Genesis, Eve is tempted by the "fruit of knowledge" found in the tree that grows in the middle of the garden of Eden. Nobody knows exactly who hypothesized the presence of an apple, as long as he could be anything: a pear, a pineapple, a mango or other fruit known to men. Moreover, there is the view that "the fruit of knowledge" or an apple if you prefer, is but a metaphor of "original sin" that would have landed the first humans.

9. Isaac Newton was hit by apple

We return again to the same apple, fruit which seems to dominate a good part of our history. Legend of the illustrious British physicist, Isaac Newton was hit by an apple while meditating in your own garden - reason to issue later theory of universal gravitation - it is one notorious. But even that failed enlightened fruit in the scientist's head?

Most historians agree that this story is just a legend. In reality, the story of Newton's apple appeared in an essay published opment, long after the world as the physicist had passed. Before that, Catherine Conduitt, granddaughter of Isaac Newton, was the only one who mentioned the story though, most likely, it was just a contrivance designed to attract good advertising on the survivors of the scientist.


8. Napoleon was a man of short stature

He remained in history as "Le petit corporal" - Little Corporal - reason enough for some to compare him with another "little corporal" of the twentieth century. One whose intentions to conquer the world have been broken and disastrous as all the gates of Moscow. Both were actually the same character, Antichrist, but this is a hypothesis (fantasy) that not going to treat it in this article. What interests us is how "small" was entitled Napoleon and how is the image acquired in history.

He said, over time, especially by the French king's enemies, as his ambitions to dominate Europe were the result of its low height, a complex that Napoleon tried to compensate by military victories. In fact, Napoleon had a height of 174 centimeters, far above the average men of the eighteenth century. Nickname "little corporal" came as a result of a habit of the French army, through which mocked their superiors in rank subordinates. This remained true even after Napoleon became emperor.


7. James Cook discovered Australia

If we had wanted to be demanding "to blood," we have said that Australia was discovered by Aboriginal ancestors somewhere about 40,000 years ago. About 40 millennia before James Cook to see the light of day. But we leave aside this theory (ironic) and turn our attention to the "rediscovery" of Australia, this time by European seafarers.

History tells us that James Cook first set foot on the current beach in Sydney, in 1770. What made but English navigator and geographer was to identify the east coast of the continent to the antipodes and perform its proper mapping . In fact, Australia has been reached for the first time the Dutch Dirk Hartog and Abel Tasman, followed by Englishman William Dampier, the same captain who abandoned him on Alexander Selkirk (aka Robinson Crusoe) on a deserted island in the Pacific. The myth of James Cook discovered Australia have added yet a concept that was grounded, erroneously, in people's consciousness. Any student learn today that the little continent was "uncovered" by "Captain" Cook. A serious mistake if we think that, in 1770, the Englishman was not more than a lieutenant in the British Army.

6. Shakespeare wrote "Hamlet"

It is known as the greatest writer and playwright who ever lived, and this despite the fact that nobody knows who he really was. Shakespeare is certainly a pseudonym, and the man behind or remained even today, covered in mystery. What is known, however, less is that his works are immortal, in reality, takeovers and adaptations of old stories.

Take, for example, the tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, written in 1603 - perhaps the most famous work of the illustrious playwright. Although the credit belongs entirely Shakespeare's Hamlet's story has its origins in an ancient Scandinavian myth of ... you guessed it, Denmark. The original has not been preserved, but we can say that the English version is entitled, however, the most successful.


5. America became independent on July 4, 1776

In any school in the world, the history lesson, the teachers will say that the independence of the United States was obtained 4 July 1776. In fact, July 4 is even US national day. Without mistakes we can say, however, that scientists rushed this date, and history textbooks should be amended.

After seven years of war between American States and Britain, King George III and US officials declared a cessation of hostilities on 3 September 1783. Basically, that day came into force the Act of Independence signed on July 4, 1776.


4. Edison invented the light bulb

Although it is one of the most prolific inventors in history (1,093 inventions), Thomas Edison is not the father in law of many of them. The reality is that some belong technicians who worked with him, while others have not even seen the light in his lab. Take, for example, the light bulb, the most famous invention of Edison. It was invented four decades before Thomas Edison was born. The author? English scientist, Sir Davy Hamphry. And yet, how he came to be recognized as a parent Edison's light bulb?

3. George Washington was America's first president

Everyone knows that Washington was the first President of the United States (of the 43 presidents in history). The reality is, however, different. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress (or the US Congress) he chose Peyton Randolph as the first president. Randolph's first political move was to create an army to oppose England, and topped it even called him George Washington.

In 1781, Randolph was succeeded by John Hancock. After Washington's victory at the Battle of Yorktown, Hancock sent him a congratulatory American general, he answering them through another missive that is with the nickname "president of the United States." Eight years after the war, and after another two presidents, Washington, The benefits of the huge political capital gained through victory against England, he became the first democratically elected president. Strictly speaking, however, George Washington was only the fifth US president.


2.Ferdinand Magellan made the first trip around the world

Without going into details, almost everyone knows two things about Portuguese navigator large and wide, Ferdinand Magellan. The first is that made the first trip around the world (between 1519 and 1522). The second is that he was killed on 22 April 1521 by natives in the Philippines. It seems, however, that no one barely visible contradiction of terms between the two statements

1. Jesus was born on December 25

Christmas is the biggest celebration of Christianity, at which all celebrate the birth of Christ. There is, however, no mention biblical or otherwise indicating 25 December as the one in which Jesus was born. Currently, there are several hypotheses about the origins of Christmas, but perhaps the most important is related to the cult of the god Mithras Hellenistic, cult emerged around 100 BC

Its believers were convinced that Mithra was born on December 25 of a virgin mother, and that this event has happened in a manger. A striking resemblance more than the Christian celebration of Christmas. Many voices say that the early Christians tried to make people forget the powerful cult of Mithras, and so they replaced it with the celebration of Christmas. In fact, many other pagan holidays were changed, and in their place were adapted to Christian holidays.


The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Descopera . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.