One of the most prominent Indian scientists in history, C.V. Raman was the first Indian person to win the Nobel Prize in science for his illustrious 1930 discovery, now commonly known as the “Raman Effect”. It is immensely surprising that Raman used an equipment worth merely 200 to make this discovery. The Raman Effect is […]
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher and scientist, was one of the greatest and most influential mathematical writers of all times. He was also an expert in many fields, including various languages, and a well-versed religious philosopher. Born at Clermont-Ferrand on June 19, 1623, Pascal’s father was Étienne Pascal, a counsellor of the king who
Sir Benjamin Thompson was an American-born British physicist and inventor who was a founder of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. One of the leading figures in the history of thermodynamics, his work rejected the popular belief that heat is a liquid form of matter and laid down the modern theory that heat is a
The American author, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, soldier and diplomat, Benjamin Franklin was indeed a man of multiple talents. He was also one of the significant Founding Fathers of the United States who for later generations served as both a spokesman and a model for the national character. As a scientist, he was
Barbara McClintock made a great name as the most distinguished cytogeneticist in the field of science. Her breakthrough in the 1940s and 1950s of mobile genetic elements, or “jumping genes,” won her the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1983. Among her other honours are the National Medal of Science by Richard Nixon (1971),
Burrhus Frederic Skinner, more commonly known as B. F. Skinner, was an American psychologist, philosopher, scientist and poet. An important advocate of behaviourism, Skinner is known for inventing the operant conditioning chamber, and for his own experimental analysis of behaviour. He is widely considered as one of the most influential psychologists of all times. Born
Also popularly known as ‘Avicenna’, Ibn Sina was indeed a true polymath with his contributions ranging from medicine, psychology and pharmacology to geology, physics, astronomy, chemistry and philosophy. He was also a poet and an Islamic scholar and theologian. His most important contribution to medical science was his famous book al-Qanun, known as the “Canon”
Sir Arthur Eddington was an eminent English astronomer, physicist and mathematician. He is noted for his groundbreaking research work in astrophysics. Being the first person to investigate the motion, internal structure and evolution of stars, Eddington is widely considered to be one of the greatest astronomers of all times. Born on December 28, 1882 in
American chemist, musician, college professor, industrialist and philanthropist, Arnold Orville Beckman is known for his instruments such as the electronic pH meter (a device for measuring acidity) and a variable resistance device called a Helipot®, which developed the study and understanding of human biology. His invention of the pH meter led to the formation of
When we talk about Philosophy, the first name that comes into our mind is that of Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC) who followed a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in. One of the prominent names of history, this famous personality was a Greek philosopher, was
One of the greatest names from olden days that shall always be remembered is that of Archimedes who was a great mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer. His outstanding contributions in the field of science brought about significant changes to the scientific world. Some of his notable contributions to the field of maths and science
While living organisms have been extensively studied for centuries, the discovery that organisms are made up of cells is comparatively new to the world. One of the reasons behind this could be the absence of modern technology laboratory equipment. The 1595 invention of the microscope made the cells visible for the first time. The Dutch
Widely credited as the “father of modern chemistry”, Antoine Lavoisier was a French chemist and a central figure in the 18th-century chemical revolution. He formulated a theory of the chemical reactivity of oxygen and co-wrote the modern system for the nomenclature of chemical substances. After having a formal education in law and literature, Lavoisier studied
The Flemish physician Andreas Vesalius (also Andreas Vesal, André Vesalio or Andre Vesale) is widely considered to be the founder of the modern science of anatomy. He was a major figure of the Scientific Revolution. Vesalius’s book “De Humani Commis Fabrica” (On the Structure of the Human Body) is one of the most important works
The French physicist and mathematician, Andre Marie Ampère, is mainly credited for laying down the basis of electrodynamics (now known as electromagnetism). He was the first person to demonstrate that a magnetic field is generated when two parallel wires are charged with electricity and is also known for inventing the astatic needle, a significant component