when talking about Sir Isaac Newton, it is impossible to pigeonhole him into a single facet. Throughout his life, he played roles as a physicist, philosopher, mathematician, inventor, alchemist and scientist, leaving an indelible impact on science. His greatest achievement, and for which he is world-renowned, is the law of universal gravitation and laws of classical mechanicsHowever, there is much more to Newton's vast contribution that deserves to be explored.
Early years and education
Isaac Newton was born on December 25, 1642 in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, a small village in England. His childhood was not easy; he was born prematurely and his father died before his birth. His mother, Hannah Ayscough, left him in the care of his grandparents when she remarried an Anglican pastor, who also showed no interest in raising little Isaac. This fact marked Newton deeply and affected his character throughout his life, shaping him into a reserved, calculating and, on many occasions, vengeful man.
From a young age, Newton showed an innate talent for mechanics and the design of mechanisms; he made mechanical toys for his peers and, in his teens, he designed highly accurate sundials. At the age of 12, he entered the The King's School at Grantham, where he learned Latin and basic mathematics, although initially his academic performance was not outstanding. However, his intellect began to shine when he entered the University of Cambridge, where he studied under the tutelage of Isaac Barrow, an influential mathematics teacher who guided him in his early years.
The Plague and the Age of Discovery: 1665-1666
In 1665, England was hit by a devastating plague that forced Cambridge University to temporarily close. Newton returned to his home in Woolsthorpe to seek refuge from the epidemic, but this enforced retreat proved to be one of the most productive periods of his life. It was during this time that he formulated the law of gravity and developed the foundations of what would later become his theory of differential and integral calculus, rivaling the work of Leibniz.
The legend of the apple:It is said that during one of his days at Woolsthorpe, Newton was resting under an apple tree when a fruit fell from the tree. Watching the apple fall, Newton began to reflect on the force that attracted the fruit to the Earth, and in this way he came to formulate his famous theory of universal gravitation.
Newton's main contributions
Newton not only revolutionized physics with his theory of gravitation, but also left a legacy in other fields of knowledge. His discoveries span mathematics, astronomy and optics:
- Law of universal gravitation: This law states that all objects with mass attract each other with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This discovery explained not only the behavior of objects on Earth, but also the motion of planets and other celestial bodies.
- Laws of motion: Published in his work Philosophiæ naturalis principia mathematicaThese three laws laid the foundations of classical mechanics. These laws govern the behavior of bodies at rest and in motion, and have been fundamental to the development of modern physics.
- Theory of light and colors: In his work Opticks, Newton showed that white light was not pure, but was made up of a mixture of lights of different colors. Using a prism, Newton broke down light into the colors of the rainbow and showed that each color had a different wavelength.
- Differential and integral calculus: Although his development of calculus was simultaneous with the German mathematician Leibniz, Newton created his own method called fluxion calculation, which proved crucial to physics and mathematics.
Disputes and controversies: Newton and Hooke
Although Newton's career was full of achievements, there were also controversies. One of the most significant was his conflict with Robert hooke, an influential member of the Royal Society who had worked on theories related to light. Hooke accused Newton of plagiarizing some of his work on optics, which started a bitter dispute between the two. Newton, known for his secretive and vengeful character, did not forgive Hooke and waited until Hooke's death in 1703 to fully return to public life and Royal Society, where he was elected president that same year.
Newton and alchemy
One of the most intriguing aspects of Newton's life is his interest in alchemy, a discipline that in his time was intertwined with science. Throughout his life, Newton studied alchemical texts and devoted much time and effort to experimenting with mysterious substances, in search of the Philosopher Stone, the substance believed to be capable of transforming lead into gold and granting immortality.
Although his work in alchemy may seem ridiculous today, in his time alchemy was a proto-chemistry that sought to understand the composition of matter. Newton carried out numerous experiments and wrote thousands of pages of notes on the subject. Although he was not successful in his alchemical studies, he is a clear example of how science and philosophy were intertwined in the 17th century.
Newton and religion
Newton was a deeply religious man, and in addition to his scientific discoveries, he also devoted much of his time to the study of theology. Throughout his life, he wrote extensively on biblical subjects and attempted to align science with his theological beliefs. Newton believed that science and religion were not only compatible, but should complement each other.
In his religious studies, Newton professed an anti-trinitarian belief, which alienated him from the Anglican Church, to which he belonged in theory. He believed that the doctrine of the Trinity was an error introduced into the Scriptures by the church. These controversial views remained hidden during his public life, but came to light after his death, when thousands of manuscripts related to theological subjects were discovered.
Newton's later years and legacy
In his later years, Newton put aside his scientific work to devote himself to managing the Royal Mint, where he supervised the minting of coins and fought against counterfeiting, a task in which he proved highly effective. He was knighted in 1705 by Queen Anne, becoming the first scientist to receive this honour.
After many years of work and disputes, Newton died in 1727 at the age of 84, leaving an indelible legacy in the history of science. He was buried with honors in the Westminster Abbey, alongside the great men of England.
Newton's impact on humanity is incalculable. This British scientist revolutionized our understanding of the universe and laid the foundations for modern science, influencing areas as diverse as physics, mathematics, astronomy and optics. His ability to formulate universal principles and his meticulous dedication to study made him a misunderstood genius and, in some ways, ahead of his time.