Science and Invention — Characters

British Empire — Unit #7: [1660 to 1920]

Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton to War Inventions

NameDateShort Bio

Science - Astronomy

Tycho Brahe1546-1601 Made accurate astronomical observations, used by Kepler to calculate motion of planets.
Johannes Kepler1571-1630 Proposed Heliocentric theory after studying measurements of Tycho Brahe.
Galileo Galilei1564-1642 Promoted Heliocentric theory against pressure from the Pope. Invented the telescope.
Isaac Newton1642-1727 Outstanding scientist. Made important breakthroughs in physics, optics, and mathematics.
William Herschel1738-1822 Astronomer who discovered the planet Uranus, improved telescopes, and made many other discoveries.

Science - Physics/Chemistry

Antoine Lavoisier1743-1794 French scientist, known as the "Father of Chemistry". Discovered oxygen and established the principle of conservation of mass.
John Dalton1766-1844 Chemist who proposed the atomic theory, and designed experiments to prove it.
Lord Kelvin1824-1907 Made important discoveries in thermodynamics and electricity.
J. J. Thomson1856-1940 Discovered the electron, and also the isotope.
Madame Curie1867-1934 A pioneer in the field of radioactivity, and first female winner of the Nobel prize in physics.
Ernest Rutherford1871-1937 Father of nuclear physics. Advocated the orbital theory of the atom.

Science - Biology/Geology

Carolus Linnaeus1707-1778 Great Taxonomist, who initiated naming conventions and classification of plants and animals.
Charles Lyell1797-1875 Influential 19th century Geologist who promoted the idea of doctrine of uniformitarianism (as opposed to catastrophism.)
Charles Darwin1809-1882 Proposed the theory of evolution of species. Wrote The Descent of Man.

Electromagnetism/Communication

Alexander Volta1745-1827 Invented the first usable electrical storage battery.
Samuel Morse1791-1872 Inventor of Morse code, a system telegraph transmission widely used before the telephone.
Michael Faraday1791-1867 Physicist who was important in the development of electricity and magnetism.
James Clerk Maxwell1831-1879 Developed laws defining the behavior of electricity and magnetism.
Alexander Graham Bell1847-1922 Inventor of the telephone, and also a founder of a school for the deaf.
Thomas Edison1847-1931 Prolific inventor, responsible for improvements in the light bulb, movies, phonograph, and many others.
Guglielmo Marconi1874-1937 Inventor of a wireless telegraphy system, first used on ships.

Medicine

William Harvey1578-1657 Medical doctor who described the process of circulation and the role of the heart and blood.
Edward Jenner1749-1823 English doctor who developed a vaccine for smallpox.
Louis Pasteur1822-1895 Renowned scientist in bacteriology. Helped develop germ theory of disease and pasteurization process.
Joseph Lister1827-1912 Promoted the idea of sterilization using antiseptics to kill germs on wounds and medical instruments.
Alexander Fleming1881-1895 Scottish biologist who studied bacteria and discovered the antibiotic properties of penicillin.

Textiles

James Hargreaves1720-1778 Inventor of an automated Spinning wheel. Founder of the Industrial Revolution.
Richard Arkwright1732-1792 Inventor of the spinning frame, which allowed water or steam power to spin cloth.
Samuel Crompton1753-1827 Inventor of the Spinning Mule, which could be used to make fine cloth such as Muslin.
Eli Whitney1765-1825 Inventor of the Cotton Gin, and also interchangeable parts for rifles.
Elias Howe1819-1867 American inventor of the sewing machine. His great innovation was the "lock stitch".

Industry

James Watt1736-1819 Inventor of the Steam Engine, and founder of the Industrial Revolution.
Robert Fulton1765-1815 Inventor of Steamboats. Operated the steamboat Clermont on the Hudson River.
George Stephenson1781-1848 Inventor of the steam locamotive, and the modern railroad.
Charles Goodyear1800-1860 Discovered the process for 'vulcanizing' rubber, and making it far more usable.
Cyrus McCormick1809-1884 Invented the mechanical reaper, which revolutionized agriculture, especially in midwest.
Henry Bessemer1813-1898 Invented a process for the manufacture of steel, that was of superior quality for a low cost.
Rudolf Diesel1858-1913 German engineer and inventor who developed a practical internal combustion 'diesel' engine.
Wilber and Orville1871-1948 Inventors of the first practical airplane. The Wright brothers were self-educated bicycle shop owners.