Physicist · 1643 – 1727
Isaac Newton
Formulated the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, co-invented calculus, and revolutionized optics, unifying terrestrial and celestial physics in his Principia.
Greatest Achievements
- Unified the physics of the heavens and the Earth under universal laws.
- Built the first practical reflecting telescope.
Major Accomplishments
- Unified the physics of the heavens and the Earth under universal laws.
- Built the first practical reflecting telescope.
Scientific Breakthroughs
- Formulated the three laws of motion.
- Discovered the law of universal gravitation.
- Co-invented calculus.
- Demonstrated that white light splits into a color spectrum.
Major Works
- Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687)
- Opticks (1704)
Impact Analysis
Newton's laws governed physics for over two centuries and remain the working tools of engineering; he defined what it means for science to be mathematical and predictive.
Historical influence score: 99/100