Sir Isaac Newton

Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727), English natural philosopher and mathematician, the discoverer of the calculus and author of the theory of universal gravitation. Professor of mathematics at Cambridge University (1669–1701), he wrote Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Principia; 1687), covering dynamics, fluid mechanics, and tides. His theory of light was developed in Optics (1704). He built the first reflecting telescope (1668). He is best known for his work in gravitation.

See also: Calculus; Gravitation.