With the discoveries made in the fields of calculus and optics alone, 1666 could have been left as a still famous period for science. But no, that wasn’t enough for 24 year old Isaac Newton.
FNX is however, pleased to report the concept of gravity has been discovered. No more bolting down our furniture in fear of being flung off for us.
Newton isn’t available for comment but a colleague, who simply wished to be known as ‘Voltaire’ said that in 1666, Newton during a time where he had moved to retire. Newton allegedly saw an apple drop from a tree. This of course blew the old man’s mind.
After some thought, he came up with a theory that when we stand there is a line above and below us no matter where we are in the world. This line, where we stand, will always go through the centre of the earth (yes the earth is round, deal with it).
This force is to be known as Gravitation, it will be defined as the invisible exertion between objects. If you are thinking this sounds awfuly familiar to Johannes Kepler’s, a renown German astronomer, speculations on the binding force of interstellar bodies… it’s the same deal.
Except it’s not.
Newton, unlike the other scientists, was suspicious of the widely accepted theory by Descartes. So he put his game face on and crunched the numbers of the spacial objects. Here he was finally in 1666 with an exact formula for how the force of attraction held planets in the orbits they had. The champion of formulas even worked out the force that kept the Moon in its orbit around Earth.
Welcome the fundamental law of gravity. All because a bit of fruit fell from a tree.
It still baffles us why he didn’t release it earlier, it’s an interesting read and may just have an impact in the scientific world.
You can get your copy today in papyrus form, or later in the year as a hardcover form.