Scientists
SCIENTISTS
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Scientists
Vocabulary
Compelling : Evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way
Voyage : A long journey involving travel by sea or in space
Nay : A negative answer
Radical : (Especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature
of something
Astrophysics : The branch of astronomy concerned with the physical nature of stars and
other celestial bodies, and the application of the laws and theories of physics to the
interpretation of astronomical observations.
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Scientists
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist.
He developed the general theory of relativity, one of the
two pillars of modern physics.
He is best known in popular culture for his mass–energy
equivalence formula E = mc².
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist.
He developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two
pillars of modern physics. He is best known in popular culture for his
mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc².
Born: March 14, 1879, Ulm, Germany
Awards: Nobel Prize in Physics, Copley Medal, Max Planck Medal, more
Died: April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
Education: University of Zurich (1905), more
Nationality: American, Swiss, German
Spouse: Elsa Einstein (m. 1919–1936), Mileva Marić (m. 1903–1919)
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Scientists
Facts of Albert Einstein
Born in Germany to a Jewish family, Einstein made many contributions to the field of
theoretical physics.
Even when very young, Einstein showed great ability in both math’s and science. He
was naturally curious and had a brilliant analytical mind.
Einstein worked in a patent office evaluating patents for electromagnetic devices not
long after he graduated.
Einstein won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on theoretical physics.
Famous Albert Einstein quotes include: "Whether you can observe a thing or not
depends on the theory which you use. It is the theory which decides what can be
observed.“
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Scientists
Galileo Galilei, often known mononymously as Galileo,
was an Italian physicist, mathematician, engineer,
astronomer, and philosopher who played a major
role in the scientific revolution.
Born: February 15, 1564, Pisa, Italy
Died: January 8, 1642, Arcetri, Italy
Education: University of Pisa (1581–1585)
Discovered: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, Io
Children: Maria Celeste, Vincenzo Gamba, Livia Galilei
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Scientists
Facts of Galileo
Galileo was a ground breaking astronomer, physicist, mathematician, philosopher and
inventor. Among his inventions were telescopes, a compass and a thermometer.
With these telescopes, Galileo was able to observe the skies in ways previously not
achieved. In 1610 he made observations of 4 objects surrounding Jupiter that behaved
unlike stars, these turned out to be Jupiter’s four largest satellite moons: Io, Callisto,
Europa and Ganymede. They were later renamed the Galilean satellites in honor of
Galileo himself.
Galileo refused to believe Kepler’s theory that the moon caused the tides, instead
believing it was due to the nature of the Earth’s rotation (helping prove that even the
smartest people can make mistakes).
Famous Galileo quotes include: “In questions of science the authority of a thousand is
not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.”
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Scientists
Sir Isaac Newton was an English physicist and
Mathematician who is widely recognized as one of the
most influential scientists of all time and as a
key figure in the
scientific revolution
Born: January 4, 1643, Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth,
United Kingdom
Died: March 31, 1727, Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Full name: Sir Isaac Newton
Education: Trinity College, Cambridge (1667–1668), more
Parents: Isaac Newton Sr, Hannah Ayscough
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Scientists
Facts of Isaac Newton
In 1687, Newton published Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, what is widely
regarded to be one of the important books in the history of science.
Newton’s law of universal gravitation describes the gravitational attraction between
bodies with mass, the earth and moon for example.
Newton was known to have said that his work on formulating a theory of gravitation was
inspired by watching an apple fall from a tree
Famous Isaac Newton quotes include: "Plato is my friend - Aristotle is my friend - but
my greatest friend is truth.“
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Scientists
Charles Robert Darwin, FRS was an English naturalist
and geologist, best known for his contributions
to evolutionary theory.
Born: February 12, 1809, The Mount, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
Died: April 19, 1882, Down House, Downe, United Kingdom
Awards: Copley Medal, Wollaston Medal, Royal Medal
Education: Christ's College, Cambridge (1828–1831), more
Children: Anne Darwin, George Darwin, Francis Darwin, more
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Scientists
Facts of Charles Darwin
He is most famous for his work on natural selection, the idea that all species of life have
evolved over time from common ancestors.
Not only did Darwin develop the idea of natural selection, he also presented compelling
evidence from his detailed research which included a five year voyage on the HMS
Beagle. On this voyage, Darwin visited ecologically diverse regions such as Brazil,
Chile, Australia, the Falkland Islands and the Galapagos Islands.
His 1859 book ‘On the Origin of Species’, detailed much of his research on natural
selection, it contained a large amount of evidence to back up his ideas and became a
landmark work in the field of evolutionary biology.
Famous Charles Darwin quotes include: “We can allow satellites, planets, suns,
universe, nay whole systems of universe, to be governed by laws, but the smallest
insect, we wish to be created at once by special act.”
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Scientists
Questions
1) Can you name 3 other scientists.
2) How far has science reached in terms of technology and astronomy?
3) What role do scientists have in the new inventions?
4) Are scientists an asset to the country?
5) What is the difference between a scientist and an astronaut?
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