Copernicus publishes his theory that the Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun

Tags: Astronomy, Scientific Revolution, Mathematics, Cosmology, Heliocentrism, Nicolaus Copernicus, Renaissance, Scientific Theory

Vesalius: pioneering research into human anatomy.

Tags: Renaissance, Medicine, Scientific Revolution, Scientific Publication, Observation

Gerolamo Cardano discovers complex numbers.

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Georgius Agricola, the "Father of Mineralogy", publishes his De re metallica.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Metallurgy, Mining, Renaissance, Holy Roman Empire

Robert Recorde introduces the equal sign.

Tags: Mathematics, Algebra, Notation, Symbolism, Scientific Revolution, Mathematical Innovation, Education

Galileo Galilei born on February 15

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Gerolamo Cardano is the first to produce a systematic treatment of probability.

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Supernova SN 1572 is observed by Tycho Brahe in the Milky Way.

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Rafael Bombelli provides rules for complex arithmetic.

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François Viète's New algebra shows the modern notational algebraic manipulation.

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Galileo Galilei invents a thermometer.

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William Gilbert: Earth's magnetic field.

Tags: Astronomy, Physics, Magnetism, Scientific Revolution, Renaissance, Experimentation, Earth Science

Johannes Kepler starts investigating elliptical orbits of planets.

Tags: Astronomy, Scientific Revolution, Heliocentrism, Planetary Motion, Johannes Kepler, Physics, Mathematics, Cosmology

Telescope: Patent applied for by Hans Lippershey. Actual inventor unknown since it seemed to already be a common item being offered by the spectacle m...

Tags: Optics, Scientific Revolution, Hans Lippershey

Earliest record of an optical telescope.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Optics, Astronomy, Dutch Republic, Hans Lippershey, Telescope, Observation

Johannes Kepler: first two laws of planetary motion.

Tags: Astronomy, Scientific Revolution, Planetary Motion, Physics, Mathematics, Johannes Kepler, Tycho Brahe

Galileo Galilei and Simon Marius observe Jupiter's Galilean moons.

Tags: Astronomy, Scientific Revolution, Heliocentric Theory, Telescope, Galileo Galilei, Renaissance, Planetary Science, Scientific Observation

Galileo Galilei: Sidereus Nuncius: telescopic observations.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Astronomy, Telescope, Galileo Galilei, Heliocentrism, Renaissance, Scientific Method

John Napier introduces the logarithm to simplify calculations.

Tags: Mathematics, Scientific Revolution, Navigation, Astronomy

Niccolò Zucchi describes experiments with a bronze parabolic mirror trying to make a reflecting telescope.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Astronomy, Optics, Telescope, Scientific Instruments

Johannes Kepler: third law of planetary motion.

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Compound microscopes, which combine an objective lens with an eyepiece to view a real image, first appear in Europe. Apparently derived from the teles...

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Appearance of the first compound microscopes in Europe.

Tags: Microscopy, Scientific Revolution, Optics, Scientific Instruments

William Harvey publishes and elucidates his earlier discovery of the circulatory system.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Biology, Medicine

Willebrord Snellius: the law of refraction also known as Snell's law.

Tags: Physics, Optics, Scientific Revolution, Mathematics

Slide rule: invented by William Oughtred

Tags: Mathematics, Scientific Revolution, Tools, Measurement

Pierre de Fermat formulates his so-called Last Theorem, unsolved until 1995.

Tags: Mathematics, Number Theory, Algebra, Scientific Revolution

Galileo Galilei: laws of falling bodies.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Physics, Galileo Galilei, Mechanics, Experimentation, Scientific Method

Mechanical calculator. The Pascaline is built by Blaise Pascal.

Tags: Mathematics, Blaise Pascal, Scientific Revolution, Mechanical Devices

Barometer: invented by Evangelista Torricelli, or possibly up to three years earlier by Gasparo Berti.

Tags: Physics, Measurement, Scientific Revolution, Instrumentation

Francesco Redi challenges the theory of spontaneous generation by demonstrating that maggots come from eggs of flies.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Biology, Experimentation, Scientific Method, Microbiology

Vacuum pump: Invented by Otto von Guericke.

Tags: Physics, Experimentation, Scientific Revolution, Mechanics

Giovanni Riccioli renames the lunar maria.

Tags: Astronomy, Renaissance, Moon, Cartography, Scientific Revolution

Christiaan Huygens describes the true shape of the rings of Saturn.

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Pendulum clock: Invented by Christiaan Huygens. It was first conceptualized in 1637 by Galileo Galilei but he was unable to create a working model.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Timekeeping, Clockmaking, Mechanics, Christiaan Huygens, Galileo Galilei

Christiaan Huygens develops the first functional pendulum clock based on the learnings of Galileo Galilei.

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Christiaan Huygens first to observe surface details of Mars.

Tags: Astronomy, Mars, Scientific Observation, Telescope, Scientific Revolution, Planetary Science, Christiaan Huygens

The Royal Society is founded.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Royal Society, Enlightenment, Experimentation, Natural Philosophy, Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle

Jacques Aymar-Vernay, who later reintroduced Dowsing into popular use in Europe, is born.

Tags: Superstition, Scientific Revolution, Folklore

Robert Boyle: Boyle's law of ideal gases.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Physics, Chemistry, Robert Boyle, Experimentation, Scientific Method, Mathematics

Robert Hooke discovers cells using a microscope.

Tags: Microscopy, Biology, Cell Theory, Scientific Revolution, Observation

James Gregory publishes designs for a reflecting telescope.

Tags: Astronomy, Optics, Telescopes, Scientific Revolution, Instrumentation

Friction machine: Invented by Otto von Guericke.

Tags: Electricity, Physics, Experimentation, Scientific Revolution

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: first peer reviewed scientific journal published.

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Robert Hooke: discovers the cell.

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Francesco Redi: disproved idea of spontaneous generation.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Biology, Experimentation, Germ Theory, Scientific Method

First functional reflecting telescope constructed by Isaac Newton.

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Nicholas Steno: proposes that fossils are organic remains embedded in layers of sediment, basis of stratigraphy.

Tags: Geology, Paleontology, Scientific Revolution, Natural History

Jan Swammerdam: epigenesis in insects.

Tags: Biology, Scientific Revolution, Microscopy

The first known operational reflecting telescope is built by Isaac Newton.

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Sir Isaac Newton: discovers that white light is a mixture of distinct coloured rays (the spectrum).

Tags: Physics, Optics, Scientific Revolution, Experimentation, Light

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek is the first to observe microbes with a homemade microscope, using samples he collected from his teeth scrapings, raindrops, an...

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Christiaan Huygens: first study of oscillating system and design of pendulum clocks

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Greenwich Observatory commissioned.

Tags: Astronomy, Royal Society, Navigation, Scientific Revolution, Measurement, Timekeeping

Leibniz, Newton: infinitesimal calculus.

Tags: Mathematics, Calculus, Scientific Revolution, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Isaac Newton, Physics, Modern Science

Anton van Leeuwenhoek: observes microorganisms using a refined simple microscope.

Tags: Microbiology, Scientific Revolution, Biology, Cell Theory

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers Bacteria.

Tags: Microbiology, Scientific Revolution, Observation, Biology, Discovery

Ole Rømer: first measurement of the speed of light.

Tags: Physics, Optics, Measurement, Astronomy, Scientific Revolution, Light

Binary system developed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

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Christiaan Huygens provides the first known description of a piston engine.

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Inventions, Engine

Calculus independently developed by both Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Sir Isaac Newton and used to formulate classical mechanics.

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Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.

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Sir Isaac Newton: classical mathematical description of the fundamental force of universal gravitation and the three physical laws of motion.

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Thomas Savery demonstrates his first steam engine to the Royal Society.

Tags: Steam Engine, Industrial Revolution, Scientific Revolution, Royal Society, Energy

Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the alcohol thermometer.

Tags: Measurement, Temperature, Scientific Revolution, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, Instrumentation

In Amsterdam, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the mercury-in-glass thermometer, which remains the most reliable and accurate thermometer until the e...

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Mercury thermometer by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Measurement, Temperature, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, Physics

Diving bell was successfully tested by Edmond Halley, sustainable to a depth of 55 ft

Tags: Scientific Revolution, Oceanography

Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit proposes the Fahrenheit temperature scale.

Tags: Measurement, Temperature, Physics, Scientific Revolution, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit

Carl Linnaeus described a new system for classifying plants in Systema Naturae.

Tags: Botany, Classification, Scientific Revolution, Biology, Natural History, Global Impact

Anders Celsius proposes an inverted form of the centigrade temperature, which is later renamed Celsius in his honor.

Tags: Measurement, Temperature, Physics, Scientific Revolution, Standardization

Musschenbroek and Kleist independently develop the Leyden jar, an early form of capacitor.

Tags: Physics, Electricity, Capacitor, Scientific Revolution, Instrumentation, Experimentation

(1749-1789) Buffon wrote Histoire naturelle.

Tags: Natural History, Enlightenment, Zoology, Botany, Scientific Revolution, Scientific Literature

Joseph Black: describes latent heat.

Tags: Physics, Thermodynamics, Scientific Revolution