Category Great Scientist

Tycho Brahe was a famous Danish astronomer who played a vital role in the development of various astronomical instruments.

    He devised his own instrument even before the invention of the telescope, to observe the heavens. These instruments allowed Brahe to determine the movements of heavenly objects more precisely.

     Brahe made significant contributions in the study of the moon and the planet Mars, which would later prove extremely useful to other astronomers. Instruments built by Brahe proved to be very helpful in accurate determinations of latitude and longitude.

       Brahe built his first observatory at Herrevead Abbey in 1572, and another one named ‘Uraniborg’ in 1576. He also built a third one called ‘Stjerneborg’ IN 1581

Andreas Vesalius was the founder of modern anatomy. This 16th century physician and surgeon completely revolutionized the science of biology and medicine.

     By careful and painstaking dissections of cadavers, he learned a great deal about the structure of the human body and laid the foundation for modern physiology.

    In 1543, he published a remarkable book ‘De humani corporis fabrics’. It was a fully illustrated anatomy of the human body, based on the observations Vesalius had made during his dissections. The book destroyed the misconceptions in anatomy that had persisted for over a thousand years.

    Vesalius’ anatomical studies corrected many religious beliefs and the finding of a previous physician Galen, who had dissected apes because religion forbade him to dissect real human cadavers.

     Vesalius was the first surgeon to actually cut open a cadaver or dead body of a human being, and his exceptionally detailed muscle drawings changed medical history for all time.

Paracelsus was a renowned German physicist, and botanist of Swiss origin. His path breaking findings in botany and medicine made him a pioneer in his field.

     Paracelsus became a notable physician in the early 16th century. He rejected most of the prevalent and widely accepted world views, and magic theories of medicine. While working on medicines, Paracelsus brought together the use of chemicals in medicines. In1526, he coined the term ‘ZINCUM’ for the chemical element zinc. He is also known for discovering ‘Laudanum’ which is an alcoholic herbal preparation.

      Paracelsus was a strict follower, and a firm believer of the classical Greek concept of elements. However, he added his own findings to this concept. Paracelsus’ real name was Philipp us von Hohenheim.

       The name ‘Paracelsus’ was actually a nickname. It means ‘equal to or greater than celsus’ and refers to his medical skill.

Nicolaus Copernicus was a 15th century astronomer, mathematician, translator, artist, and physicist, among other things.

      He is best known as the first astronomer to put forward the idea of a system in which the planets and planetary objects orbit the sun.

         By 1508, Copernicus had begun to create his model of the planetary system, suggesting that the sun, and not our Earth, was the centre of the universe. His model of the universe was accepted, whereas earlier models had not been, because his was more detailed and accurate. He also had a better formula for the calculation of the positions of the planets at different times of the year.

     The Roman Catholic Church criticized Copernicus’ theories. It went so far as to ban his book ‘De Revolution bus Erbium Coelestium,’ after he died, and it remained a forbidden book for almost three hundred years.

          The ideas of Copernicus were instrumental in the evolution of the field of astronomy. In fact, almost every notable astronomer who came after him was influenced by his theories.

Roger Bacon was an English philosopher and Franciscan monk who promoted experimental science and was deeply interested in the study of nature.

      He studied mathematics, astronomy, optics, alchemy and languages. His studies on the nature of light, and on rainbows, are especially noteworthy, and he seems to have planned and interpreted these experiments carefully.

     He seriously studied the problem of flying in a machine with flapping wings. He was also the first person in the West to give exact directions for making gun-powder.

     Roger Bacon’s work was talked about everywhere, and eventually won him a place in popular literature as a kind of wonder worker. He was also called Doctor Mirabilis- ‘mirabilis’ in Latin means ‘wonderful teacher.’

Galen was a Greek who became the Ancient Roman Empire’s greatest physician. He had great expertise in anatomy, surgery, pharmacology and therapeutic methods.

    Galen had an absolute belief in the power of experiment and observation. He did not believe in merely following what books told him was true. He needed to verify the truth for himself.

     His anatomical reports, based mainly on dissection of monokeys, remained uncontested until 1543, when printed descriptions and illustrations of human dissections were published.

   Galen, the great scientist, consolidated the work of previous Greek medical researchers, adding the results of his own research, to create an incredibly long-lasting medical doctrine. This medical doctrine dominated the Western world for 1500 years.