Robert Hooke

Profession: Scientist

Nationality:

Biography: Hooke was a scientific polymath. He was simultaneously the curator of experiments of the Royal Society and a member of its council.

He was also Gresham Professor of Geometry and a Surveyor to the City of London after the Great Fire. He performed over 50% of all the surveys after the fire. Hooke was also an architect and worked with Christopher Wren to build St Paul's Cathedral.

Hooke was a pioneer of microscopy, and known by many school children for his law of elasticity.

Born: July 18, 1635
Birthplace: Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England
Star Sign: Cancer

Died: March 3, 1703 (aged 67)

Historical Events

1661-11-12 Robert Hooke appointed Curator of Experiments to the Royal Society, England
1664-03-20 Scientist Robert Hooke is appointed Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, London
1665-11-01 Robert Hooke's landmark work "Micrographia" with drawings using a microscope and coining the word "cell" is published by the Royal Society
1667-05-30 Margaret Cavendish is the first woman to attend a meeting of the Royal Society, watching demonstrations by Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke
1676-02-15 Isaac Newton writes to Robert Hooke “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” (O.S. 5 Feb)

Biographies and Sources

Margaret Cavendish - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography