As an author to some of the world’s most important discoveries and one of the greatest stars of the science scene, Isaac Newton dedicated most of his time to the study of a variety of fields. This included mathematics, physics, and astrology, which lead him to revolutionize the understanding of our world. Here, we’ll take a look at a few curious facts about one of humanity’s golden thinkers.
Long-time inventor
Although he would later engineer the well-known Reflecting Telescope, Newton’s creativity was already well-known in his youth. His mother sent him to further his education away from home at The King’s School. There, he had to reside with William Clarke, a chemist who sparked his interest in the field. Living there, he enjoyed making things such as little windmills and reels. Eventually, he advanced to more complex devices such as sundials, which are machines that tell you the time of the day when placed in the sunlight.
Secret theologist
A big part of Newton’s literary works aren’t actually about science. He constantly immersed himself in private religious studies, where he explored the nature of God, the historical role of Jesus Christ, and the evolution of Christianity. While maintaining a sincere belief, he thoroughly explored the Bible and thought that some parts of it were corrupted. Most of his essays explained disagreements because of this, but were also fascinating with deep interpretations of multiple key points. However, he was forced to maintain his passion for the understanding of the holy text hidden, as his heterodox positions were not accepted by society and would probably put his career at risk. Many contemporary theologists still research his analysis, agreeing that their originality and complexity have only been matched by just a handful of people.
Painful experiments
Discovering the law of optics was no easy task. If someone wanted to understand the light, then they should go to where the light comes from, right? Where else but the sun! Newton once stared at the reflection of the sun in a mirror while standing in a darkened room, which unfortunately caused him to go blind for a few days. In a later experiment, he tried to prove the nature of color by sticking a long needle behind his eyeball. He recorded seeing colored circles and other visual phenomena. Obviously, it is not recommended to try these at home. Remember, Newton did it so you don’t have to!
Devoted to his studies
Does that word have enough weight? As someone who was so invested in the pursuit of science, Isaac Newton couldn’t let himself be interrupted by any distractions. Why would you bother with laughing or resting, when you could be reading or asking yourself interesting questions? Newton worked almost every day, for long periods of time. Some days, he wouldn’t even stop to eat or sleep! This was probably not that difficult for him though, as he actually felt quite comfortable being alone with his own thoughts.
Where did the apple fall?
The apple incident might be the most famous story about Newton. It is said – even by himself at some point – that an apple fell from a tree and hit him in the head. This made him wonder why things fall in the first place, which inspired him to develop the theory of gravity. While some believe that the story is a myth, William Stukeley, who was an acquaintance of Newton, did confirm it. He did, however, describe it a bit differently. According to him, Newton saw the apple fall to the ground while he was sitting in contemplation by the windows of his home. This could be seen as a little too convenient, but as an avid observer, it was not weird for Newton to draw attention while thinking about everyday events.
