Facts about Isaac Newton

• He was born January 4, 1643, in Woolsthorpe, England, United Kingdom
• He died March 31, 1727, in London, England, United Kingdom
• Newton actually studied for a degree in law.
• The young Isaac was enrolled in King’s School in Grantham, a town in Lincolnshire (Grantham was the birthplace of Mrs Thatcher)
• Newton’s mother wanted Isaac to become a farmer, but Isaac had no interest in farming exams and failed!
• He owned more books on historical subjects than on science.
• Isaac Newton suffered two nervous breakdowns.
• Newton was notorious for his bad temper and conflicts with other people. In particular Hooke and Leibinz.
• Between 1665 and 1667 the University of Cambridge was dispersed due to the Plague and Newton returned to Woolsthorpe Manor.
• Isaac Newton become known in the scientific community through his refractive telescope – a big improvement on existing telescopes.
• Isaac Newton disliked to hear any criticism and he became embroiled in a bitter row with Robert Hooke, an original member of the Royal Academy.
• After the death of his mother in 1678, Newton entered six years of intellectual seclusion where he only communicated with the briefest notes.
• It is claimed Newton’s discovered the theory of gravity after watching an apple fall in the orchard.
• Throughout his life Newton continued research into a wide range of subjects including mathematics, optics, astronomy and alchemy.
• Newton was interested in the new wave of philosophy becoming known in the Western world. He became an acquaintance of the political philosopher John Locke.
• He was elected as Member of Parliament for the University in 1700, but only held this post for a year.
• Newton himself would tell the story of an apple falling from a tree giving him inspiration for his work on gravity. However, there is no evidence he was actually hit by an apple!
• Newton’s book – Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), has been called the single most influential book on physics
• In 1696, Newton was appointed warden of the Royal Mint. He took his duties very seriously, seeking to prevent corruption.
• As master of the Mint, Newton moved the British currency, from the silver to the gold standard.
• Newton was fascinated with religion, though didn’t hold orthodox views. He wrote an article on textual criticism of the Bible.
• One of Newton’s most famous quotes was:
  • “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
• English poet Alexander Pope wrote the following epithet for Newton.
  “Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in night;
  God said “Let Newton be” and all was light.”
• Newton died in 1727, at the age of 85