After reading A Brief History of World Famous Scientists, you will be surprised to find a counterintuitive historical fact: the six revolutionary scientific miracles in the history of science were not created by "authoritative figures" at that time, but by "little people" and "outsiders" who were still unknown at that time. It is not great scientists who create great scientific achievements, but great scientific achievements make great scientists. Despite the scientific historical facts, in our real life, we pay attention to professional scientists and great scientists who have made achievements, while ignoring the achievements of "little people" and "outsiders".
Speaking of the six scientific revolutions in the history of science, people always associate them with the names of great scientists, and few people associate them with little people and "outsiders". For example, when it comes to the astronomical revolution represented by Heliocentrism, people will associate it with the name of Copernicus; Speaking of the mathematical revolution represented by calculus, people will think of Newton's name; When it comes to the chemical revolution represented by the theory of oxidative combustion, it will be associated with the name of lavoisier; When it comes to the "evolution" revolution represented by natural selection, it will be associated with Darwin's name; The physical revolution represented by the theory of relativity and quantum theory is all linked with Einstein's name. After 1960s, with more and more evidences of "continental drift theory", Wei Gena's name was associated with the geological revolution. Among those who started a series of scientific revolutions and created scientific miracles, whose names will be associated with small people and "outsiders"? Let's take a look at the brief history of these masters who created scientific miracles!
1, Copernicus
Nicholas? 6? 1 Copernicus (Nicolaus Copernicus,1473.2 ——1543.5) was born in Torun, Poland, and is famous for publishing The Theory of the Operation of Celestial Bodies. It is called the seed of astronomical revolution by historians of science.
From the perspective of Copernicus' life, his father died when he was less than 10, and his uncle raised him to complete his college studies. Copernicus' university life is divided into two parts: one is to study medicine at Padua University, and the other is to transfer to Funana University to study law. 1503, Copernicus received a doctorate in canon law with honors, and then returned to Poland to serve as a priest in Frenburg Cathedral. Copernicus maintained this position until his death.
During his tenure in Frenburg Cathedral, Copernicus performed his clerical duties on the one hand and his medical duties on the other. In addition, he wrote a paper on the national currency reform, and then his interest turned to astronomy. 15 14 In May, Copernicus wrote a short article, which first expounded the viewpoint of "Heliocentrism" and challenged the geocentric theory since Aristotle. Copernicus believes that a cosmic system in which planets (including the earth) move around the sun can simply explain more astronomical changes than a cosmic system in which the earth is stationary. After the publication of Short Comment, it soon spread all over Europe.
Copernicus himself was a Christian, and he was always cautious about his new theory. It turns out that the main work of the theory of celestial bodies was completed around 15 14. 1536 someone suggested that he tidy it up and publish it as soon as possible, but he never agreed. It was not until1May 543 that he saw The Operation of Celestial Bodies.
"Interrogation: According to Copernicus' life, he was a priest of the cathedral all his life, and studying astronomy was just his hobby. It can be said that the seeds of the astronomical revolution are not astronomers, but "outsiders". No wonder a historian of science said, "From the perspective of Copernicus' research career and his religious status, it is hard to imagine that he would launch a scientific revolution that embarrassed religious theology" (see Zhang Gongyao's Scientific Revolution in the Renaissance, Hunan People's Publishing House, March 2005, p. 60).
2.newton
Isaac? 6? 1 Newton (IsaacNewton,1642.12 ~1727.3), a British mathematician and physicist, was the founder of classical mechanics. During the 25 years from 1703 to 1727, Newton was the president of the Royal Society.
Newton was born in a small village called Walsop in the north of England, and made a living by farming a small farm reclaimed by his ancestors. Father Isaac? 6? Newton died of pneumonia before he was born. In memory of her husband who died young, her mother Hannah named the newborn after her husband. Newton just turned 3, and his mother remarried. Little Newton grew up with his grandmother.
1649, Newton started primary school at the age of seven, which is a two-day day school. Newton's academic performance here is not good. However, young Newton was born to love nature. He found childhood fun in the pleasant rural scenery of Walsop, playing with birds and butterflies.
1655, Newton entered Grantham Middle School. 1656, when Newton 14 years old, his mother returned to the original farm because of the death of his stepfather. Newton was forced to drop out of school to farm because of the shortage of labor at home. 1660, Newton, who had been a farmer at home for three years, returned to Grantham Middle School and graduated with honors one year later.
After graduating from Grantham Middle School, Newton entered Trinity College, Cambridge University. Trinity College is the largest college in Cambridge. The main courses of study are classics, poetry and theology, among which theology is the most important. 1663, Newton's learning career took a major turning point: Trinity College decided to offer lectures on natural science, and Isaac was the first to give lectures. 6? 1 Professor Barrow. Barrow is an outstanding mathematician and a pioneer of calculus. He also has deep attainments in physics, astronomy and optics. From the beginning of the lecture, Newton attended every lecture and was never absent. It can be said that Barrow was a mentor who changed Newton's life path. Barrow is a genius, however, his real greatness lies in discovering the great genius-Newton.
1655 1 month, Newton graduated from University and stayed in school, and Cambridge University awarded him a bachelor's degree. Just as Newton was immersed in joy, there came a news that made everyone feel creepy-the plague was spreading in London and its surrounding countryside. Cambridge University was forced to close 18 months. In order to avoid the plague, Newton had to return to his hometown-Walsop.
After returning to his hometown, Newton quickly walked out of the joy of being reunited with his family and began to think about problems. He goes out early and comes back late every day, or goes to fields or apple orchards, but he goes to these places not to be busy with farm work, but to concentrate on solving problems. Newton once said: If I have something different from others, I can concentrate on solving a problem. During the 18 months in his hometown to avoid the plague, Newton discovered the solar spectrum with a prism that ordinary people used to play with; Discovered "gravity"; Created calculus. Newton himself commented on the inventions of this period: "All these works were completed in 1665 and 1666. Because that year was the heyday of my invention and research on mathematics and philosophy, surpassing any period since then "(see Einstein's miracle year, [America] John? 6? 1 Stachel, translated by Fan Dainian and Xu, Shanghai Science and Technology Education Press, 200 1,1,p. 2). This 18 month later was called Newton miracle year by historians of science.
"Interrogation: Newton graduated from a prestigious school, but the field he later contributed to the cause of science was not his major in college. What is more noteworthy is that Newton's most creative period in his life was not in Cambridge University, but in his hometown. Newton's outstanding contribution to science was not after he became the president of the Royal Society, but when he just graduated from college and was still an "unknown" and "outsider". What is even more puzzling is that Newton did not make new contributions in the academic field after he became the president of the Royal Society. On the contrary, he publicly expressed his unwillingness to explain the basic nature of gravity. Privately, he thinks that gravity embodies the omnipresent spirit of God. It is said that Newton wrote more manuscripts about the implied meaning of the Bible text than he wrote about the laws of physics. 』
"Conclusion: In nature, the truth of many things is covered by illusion. For example, the earth used to revolve around the sun, but people living on the earth see the sun go east and set west every day, giving people the illusion that the sun revolves around the earth. There is a similar phenomenon in the scientific community. Originally, some important scientific achievements were created by "little people" at that time, but once little people created great scientific achievements, they became masters of science, which would create an illusion, as if great scientific achievements were created by great scientists instead of "little people". Starting from this illusion, people have been focusing on successful scientists, ignoring or even excluding those "little people" and "outsiders" who have the greatest hope of success and need the most support. 』