SCIENTIST

DATES

ACHIEVEMENTS

Leonardo da Vinci

1452-1519

Engineer, mathematician, architect, inventor, 'founder' of modern science.

Nicholas Copernicus

1473-1543

Astronomer, proposed the scientific theory of a sun-centred solar system.

Tycho Brahe

1546-1601

Astronomer, produced the Rudolphine Tables (star chart), debunked the theory of heavenly spheres, proposed the Tychonic System of cosmology, introduced apparatus accuracy, record accuracy and multiple observations to astronomy, made the first complete study of a comet, proposed the extreme distance of stars, showed the non-fixity of the universe.

Lord Francis Bacon

1561-1626

Scientist, formulated the scientific method, Lord Chancellor of England.

Galileo Galilei

1564-1642

Astronomer, physicist, popularised the sun-centred solar system, proved Kepler's Laws, advanced the design of telescopes, discovered sun-spots, the 4 moons of Jupiter & the phases of Venus, discovered that bodies fall with equal speed, the 'gal' geophysical unit named after him.

Johann Kepler

1571-1630

Astronomer, 'founder' of physical astronomy, discovered the laws of planetary motion, established the science of celestial mechanics, published the first ephemeris tables for tracking stars, contributed to the development of calculus.

William Harvey

1578-1657

Physician, discovered the circulation of the blood.

Athanasius Kircher

1601-1680

Inventor, studies anticipated the deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphics & the germ theory of disease.

John Wilkins

1614-1672

Leading organizer of the scientific movement, his proteges formed the Royal Society.

Walter Charleton

1619-1707

Physician, member of the Royal Society, president of the Royal College of Physicians.

Blaise Pascal

1623-1662

Mathematician, hydrostatics engineer, 'founder' of sciences of hydrostatics & hydrodynamics, laid the foundations for conic sections, differential calculus & probability theory, invented the barometer.

Sir William Petty

1623-1687

Physician, member of the Royal Society, helped found the science of statistics & also economics.

Robert Boyle

1627-1691

Chemist, 'father' of modern chemistry, one of the founders of the Royal Society, discovered the gas laws, co-discovered phosphorous, invented the match, measured the density of air, first to distinguish acids/bases/neutral substances, introduced the litmus test, actively opposed alchemy.

John Ray

1627-1705

Biologist, 'father' of the sciences of biology and natural history, one of the founders of the Royal Society, greatest authority of his day on botany & zoology.

Christian Huygens

1629-1695

Astronomer, mathematician, physicist, introduced the pendulum clock, developed the formula for pendulum periods, invented the telescope micrometer eye-piece, discovered the nature of Saturn's rings, proposed the wave theory of light, developed Huygen's Principle.

Isaac Barrow

1630-1677

Mathematician, Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, taught maths to Isaac Newton.

Nicholas Steno

1631-1686

Geologist, developed the principles of stratigraphical interpretation.

Robert Hooke

1635-1703

Physicist, geologist, surveyor, propounded Hooke's Law of elasticity, popularized the microscope, coined the term 'cell', invented the universal-joint & the rolling drum recorder, one of the founders of the Royal Society.

Thomas Burnet

1635-1715

Geologists, one of the first geologists.

Increase Mather

1639-1723

Astronomer, comet expert, founder of the Philosophical Society, president of Harvard.

Nehemiah Grew

1641-1712

Physician, botanist, plant anatomy researcher, member of the Royal Society.

Sir Isaac Newton

1642-1727

Physicist, discovered the laws of motion, discovered the law of gravity, invented the reflecting telescope, co-developed calculus, discovered the composition of white light, Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, president of the Royal Society.

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz

1646-1716

Mathematician, co-developer of calculus with Newton, invented the calculating machine, introduced the binary number system, anticipated the law of Conservation of Energy and Boolean logic.

John Flamsteed

1646-1719

Astronomer, produced the modern star map, founded the Greenwich Observatory, the first Astronomer Royal of England.

William Derham

1657-1735

Naturalist, Boyle lecturer, some consider him the 'father' of ecology.

Cotton Mather

1662-1727

Physician, president of Harvard, investigated the germ cause of smallpox, helped rid the USA of smallpox.

John Woodward

1665-1728

Physician, palaeontologist, a founding 'father' of geology, established the Cambridge Palaeontological Museum, Professor of Medicine at Gresham College (London).

John Harris

1666-1719

Mathematician, vice president of the Royal Society.

William Whiston

1667-1752

Mathematician, succeeded Sir Isaac Newton as Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

John Hutchinson

1674-1737

Palaeontologist, developed a strong system of natural philosophy.

Carl Linnaeus

1707-1778

Physician, biologist, Professor of Medicine and also Botany at Uppsala (Sweden), established the Royal Swedish Academy of Science and was its president, developed the Linnaean classification system, 'father' of biological taxonomy, developed a cure for venereal disease, introduced the symbols for male/female.

Leonhard Euler

1707-1783

Mathematician, Professor of Physics at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences, mathematical notation, developed calculus of partial differences, developed fluid flow equations, introduced conic sections, developed fluid network theory, developed ephemeris tables for celestial bodies, introduced p , i, S and many other mathematical symbols, improved sun/moon/earth/tide calculations.

Gustavus Brander

1720-1787

Naturalist, palaeontologist, his fossil collection is in the British Museum, Fellow of the Royal Society, Trustee of the British Museum.

Jean Deluc

1727-1817

Naturalist, physicist, geologist, coined the word 'geology', invented the mercury thermometer & the hygrometer.

Richard Kirwan

1727-1817

Chemist, mineralogist, president of the Royal Irish Academy, produced the first systematic study of minerals.

Sir William Herschel

1738-1822

Astronomer, unravelled nebulae, discovered Uranus, produced the Global Star Catalogue, built giant telescopes.

James Parkinson

1755-1824

Physician, geologist, described Parkinson's disease, first to show the plant origin of coal.

William Kirby

1759-1850

Entomologist, famous for "On the History, Habits and Instincts of Animals" (subtitle).

Jedidiah Morse

1761-1826

Geographer, the leading USA geographer of his time, wrote the first USA geography textbook.

Benjamin Barton

1766-1815

Physician, botanist, zoologist, professor at Pennsylvania university, wrote the first USA botany textbook.

John Dalton

1766-1844

Chemist, meteorologist, 'father' of modern atomic theory, formulated the Law of Simple Multiple Proportions for compounds, formulated the gas Law of Partial Pressures, first to recognise and describe colour-blindness, founder of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Georges Cuvier

1769-1832

Anatomist, vertebrate palaeontologist, 'founder' of the sciences of comparative anatomy and palaeontology, introduced phyla to systematic classification, councillor to the Imperial University (Paris), member of the Royal Society.

Charles Bell

1774-1842

Surgeon, anatomist, discovered the fundamentals of nerves, 'father' of neurophysiology, Professor of Comparative Anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons.

John Kidd

1775-1851

Physician, chemist, Professor of Chemistry at Oxford, pioneered the extraction of coal chemicals, his work led to the development of synthetics.

Humphrey Davy

1778-1829

Physicist, mentor of Faraday, discovered sodium & potassium, developed the motion theory of heat (Thermokinetics), invented the mining safety lamp, developed the medical uses of laughing gas, lecturer at the Royal Institution.

Benjamin Silliman

1779-1864

Geologist, chemist, 'founded' the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale, 'founder' & editor of the American Journal of Science, president of the Association of American Geologists, member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Peter Mark Roget

1779-1869

Physician, Roget's thesaurus, Professor of Physiology at the Royal Institution, secretary of the Royal Society.

Sir David Brewster

1781-1868

Mineralogist, astronomer, 'founder' of optical mineralogy, invented the kaleidoscope, helped found the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

William Buckland

1784-1856

Geologist, mineralogist, Oxford professor of geology & mineralogy.

William Prout

1785-1850

Chemist, physiologist, professor, early leader in the sciences of nutrition & digestion, first to identify the major food groups, recognised that atomic weights could be a series of relative whole numbers.

Adam Sedgwick

1785-1873

Geologist, Professor of Geology at Cambridge, identified and named major rock systems.

Michael Faraday

1791-1867

Chemist, physicist, proposed electric field theory, discovered the laws of electrolysis, discovered the law of electromagnetic induction (Faraday's Law), invented the transformer, dynamo, electric motor & electric generator, discovered benzene, successor to Humphrey Davy at the Royal Institution.

Charles Babbage

1791-1871

Mathematician, physicist, computer pioneer, operations researcher, developed actuarial tables, invented the first computer (calculating machine), invented skeleton keys, the speedometer, the ophthalmoscope, & cow catcher, founded the Cambridge Analytical Society, member of the Royal Society, founding member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, helped found the Royal Astronomical Society & the Statistical Society, Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

Samuel F. B. Morse

1791-1872

Inventor, artist, invented the telegraph & morse code, founder & president of the National Academy of Design, built the first camera in USA, made the first photographic portrait, arts professor at New York University.

Sir John Herschel

1792-1871

Astronomer, physicist, meteorologist, geophysicist, expanded the global star catalogue, planned Ross' geomagnetic survey of the Antarctic, invented the cyanotype process & 'hypo' fixing in photography, made the first glass plate photograph, coined the terms 'snapshot' & 'negative'.

Edward Hitchcock

1793-1864

Geologist, contributed to glacial geology, Professor of Geology at Amherst College, 'founded' the science of ichnology, state geologist for both Vermont & Massachusetts.

William Whewell

1794-1866

General scientist, coined the terms 'anode', 'cathode', 'ion', 'scientist', 'physicist', & 'geological catastrophism', invented the anemometer, contributed to the study of tides.

Joseph Henry

1797-1878

Physicist, discovered the principle of self-induction, invented the galvanometer & the electromagnetic motor, professor at Princeton University, director of the Smithsonian Institute, charter member of the national Academy of Sciences, 'founder' and president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Henry unit named after him.

Sir Richard Owen

1804-1892

Zoologist, palaeontologist, comparative anatomist, coined the word 'dinosaur', discovered the parathyroid gland, first to described the giant Moas, discovered the trichinosis parasite.

Matthew Maury

1806-1873

Hydrologist, oceanographer, 'founder' of the sciences of oceanography & hydrography, Professor of Meteorology at Virginia Military Institute, known as "the pathfinder of the seas".

Louis Agassiz

1807-1873

Palaeontologist, ichthyologist, 'father' of glacial geology & glaciology, developed the concept of an Ice Age, coined the term 'Ice Age', established the museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, biology lecturer at Harvard.

Henry Rogers

1808-1866

Geologist, Professor of Natural History at Glasgow University, conducted a detailed study of the Appalachians & the coal fields of UK & USA.

James Glaisher

1809-1903

Meteorologist, Superintendent at the Greenwich Observatory, developed the dew-point tables, established the British Meteorological Society, & the Aeronautical Society.

Phillip H. Gosse

1810-1888

Ornithologist, zoologist, Fellow of the Royal Society.

Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson

1810-1895

Archaeologist, Assyriologist, exposed & deciphered the Behistun inscriptions of King Darius, British minister in Persia, member of the Council of India.

Sir James Simpson

1811-1870

Physician, gynaecologist, 'founder' of gynaecology & anaesthesiology, discovered the medicinal use for chloroform, Professor of Obstetric Medicine at Edinburgh.

James Dana

1813-1895

Geologist, mineralogist, succeeded Benjamin Silliman at Yale, editor of the American Journal of Science, president of the Geological Society of America, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Sir Joseph Henry Gilbert

1817-1901

Agricultural chemist, Fellow of the Royal Society, developed nitrogen & superphosphate fertilizers, helped found the first agricultural research station, Professor of Rural Economy at Oxford.

James Joule

1818-1889

Physicist, established the mechanical theory of heat, discovered reversible thermodynamics, discovered the law of conservation of energy, first to estimate the speed of molecules of gas, co-discoverer of the Joule-Thompson Effect, chief 'founder' of thermodynamics, member of the Royal Society, president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, the joule unit named after him.

Thomas Anderson

1819-1874

Chemist, Regius Professor of Chemistry at Glasgow, Fellow of the Royal Society, discovered pyridine & other organic bases.

Charles Piazzi Smyth

1819-1900

Astronomer, Edinburgh professor.

Sir George Stokes

1819-1903

Physicist, mathematician, developed Stoke's Law for viscosity, developed Stoke's Law for fluorescence, laid the foundation of fluid mechanics, Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

Sir John William Dawson

1820-1899

Geologist, investigated & documented the geology of Canada, first president of the Royal Society of Canada, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Gregor Mendel

1822-1884

Botanist, discovered the genetic laws of inheritance, 'father' of genetics.

Louis Pasteur

1822-1895

Physicist, chemist, bacteriologist, invented vaccination, pasteurization, sterilization & immunization, discovered the biological origin & control of fermentation, formulated the Law of Biogenesis, established the germ theory of disease, developed a vaccine for rabies, anthrax & diphtheria, 'father' of microbiology, Professor of Chemistry at Strasbourg, Director of Scientific Studies at École Normale (Paris), awarded the Legion of Honour, opposed spontaneous generation.

Henri Fabre

1823-1915

Entomologist, 'father' of modern entomology, opposed spontaneous generation.

(William Thomson)

1824-1907

Physicist, discovered Laws of Thermodynamics, invented the absolute temperature scale, supervised the design & laying of the trans-Atlantic cable, invented a tide predictor, ship's compass, & a depth-sounding gauge, Professor of Physics at Glasgow, Fellow of the Royal Society.

Sir William Huggins

1824-1910

Astronomer, discovered that stars are composed mostly of Hydrogen, identified the Doppler effect in astronomy.

Bernhard Riemann

1826-1866

Mathematician, developed the concept of Non-Euclidean geometry, originated Riemannian geometry which was used by Einstein to develop his theory of General Relativity.

(Lord Lister)

1827-1912

Physician, developed antiseptic surgery, invented dissolving stitches, fracture wiring, & surgical rubber drainage tubes, founded the Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine (London), Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Professor of Surgery at Glasgow.

Balfour Stewart

1828-1887

Physicist, his study of Earth's magnetic field & upper atmospheric electric currents led to the discovery of the ionosphere.

James Clerk Maxwell

1831-1879

Physicist, mathematician, developed the Electromagnetic Field Theory and the electromagnetic field equations, 'father' of statistical thermodynamics, calculated the speed of electromagnetic waves, member of the Royal Society, Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge.

Peter Guthrie (P. G.)Tait

1831-1901

Physicist, mathematician, laid the foundation for vector analysis, Professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh, Professor of Mathematics at Belfast, colleague of Lord Kelvin.

John Bell Pettigrew

1834-1908

Anatomist, physiologist, president of the Royal Medical Society.

(John Strutt)

1842-1919

Physicist, developed model analysis/dimensional analysis, discovered the Rayleigh scattering of light, developed the Raleigh-Jeans formula for black-body radiation, co-discovered argon and the inert gases, succeeded Maxwell at Cambridge, won the Nobel Prize for Physics.

Sir William Abney

1843-1930

Astronomer, studied interstellar molecules, president of the Royal Astronomical Society, president of the Royal Physical Society.

Alexander MacAlister

1844-1919

Zoologist, physiologist, Professor of Anatomy at Cambridge.

Archibald. H. Sayce

1845-1933

Archaeologist, Professor of Assyriology at Oxford, expert on Hittites and Assyrians.

Sir John Ambrose Fleming

1849-1945

Physicist, electrical engineer, 'father' of electronics, invented the thermionic valve (the electron tube), devised the Fleming Rules for electric currents, Professor of Electronic Engineering at London, president of the Television Society, Fellow of the Royal Society.

Edward H. Maunder

1851-1928

Astronomer, solar astronomer, president of the British Astronomical Association.

Sir William Mitchell Ramsay

1852-1916

Isotopic chemist, co-discovered argon, discovered krypton, xenon, radon & neon, discovered terrestrial helium, first to demonstrate the transmutation of elements through radioactive decay, won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

Howard A. Kelly

1858-1943

Physician, surgeon, Professor of Gynaecology & Obstetrics at John Hopkins University.

George Washington Carver

1864-1943

Agricultural chemist, developed uses for crops.

Wilbur Wright

1867-1912

Inventor, first powered flight.

Orville Wright

1871-1948

Inventor, first powered flight, invented a calculating machine.

Douglas Dewar

1875-1957

Naturalist, ornithologist, vice president of the Victoria Institute.

Paul Lemoine

1878-1940

Geologist, president of the Geological Society of France, Director of the Natural History Museum in Paris.

Dr Charles Stine

1882-1954

Organic Chemist, director of research for E.I. duPont.

A. Rendle Short

1885-1955

Physician, Professor of Surgery at Bristol.

Dr L. Merson Davies

1885-1955

Geologist, palaeontologist.

Sir Cecil P. G. Wakeley

1892-1979

Physician, Professor of Surgery at London, president of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Dr Wernher von Braun

1912-1977

Rocket engineer, planned space exploration & lunar landings, director of NASA