Category Scientist & Invensions

Jean Babtiste Lamarck was one of the pioneers in the field of biology.

   In fact, the very name ‘biology’ was coined by this French naturalist. He is best remembered for his theory, the characteristics an organism develops during its lifetime in response to its environment are inherited by, or passed on to, its offspring.

       Lamarck was the first to use the term invertebrate to describe animals without backbones. He began collecting fossils and studying all sorts of simple species.

        As a result of these studies, he was able to revise the classification of lower animals that had been unfinished by the Swedish biologist Linnaeus.

        Lamarck’s study of invertebrates also led to the publication of his major work ‘The Natural History of Invertebrate Animals’ in 1815-22.

William Herschel was a German-born British scientist who became one of the most important astronomers of the 18th century. He built his own telescopes.

           From the garden of his house, William Herschel noted ‘every star in the heavens’ through a telescope that he had constructed himself.

         He also manufactured over 400 telescopes that were in great demand worldwide. His study of the heavens led him to the discovery of a planet that would eventually be called Uranus. William Herschel would also discover Titania and Oberon, which were the moons of Uranus as well as Enceladus and Mimas, the moons of Saturn.

          Herschel maintained that the solar system is moving through space, and found out the direction of that movement. He also suggested that the Milky Way was in the shape of a disc. Herschel is considered to be the founder of modern stellar astronomy.

       William Herschel, a great scientist was a gifted musician too. He played the oboe, violin, harpsichord and organ.

Antoine Lavoisier revolutionized chemistry. It was he who coined the name oxygen for the element released by mercury oxide.

            He found that oxygen made up 20 per cent of air, and was vital for combustion and respiration. He also concluded that when phosphorus or sulfur is burned in air, the products are formed by the reaction of these elements with oxygen.

                  The elements carbon and hydrogen were also named by him. Another milestone was when Lavoisier correctly identified sulfur as an element. A year later, he found that when mercury oxide is heated, its weight decreases. The oxygen it releases has exactly the same weight as the weight lost by the mercury oxide. After carrying out further experiments, Lavoisier announced a new fundamental law of nature- the law of conversation of mass. This law states that the total mass of a chemical reaction’s products is identical to the total mass of the starting materials.

William Harvey was an English physician who lived in the 17th century. He was the first person to correctly describe blood’s circulation in body.

       He showed that arteries and veins form a complete circuit starts at the heart, and leads back to the heart. He also established that the heart’s regular contractions drive the flow of blood around the whole body.

        Before his discoveries, blood was thought to ebb and flow through the body by the contraction of arteries. Harvey’s knowledge came from observations he made of blood flowing through the veins and arteries of living animals that he cut open. This may seem cruel, as there were no anaesthetics in Harvey’s time.

        Nevertheless, it is how we arrived at an understanding of blood and its circulation in the body.

       William Harvey’s work also laid down the foundations of physiology, which is the study of body functions. 

Joseph Black, a British chemist and physicist, is famous for his discovery of carbon dioxide. Black was always a meticulous chemist, keeping careful note of all his results and measurements. It was this which led to his discovery of carbon dioxide.

      Black also took an interest in the science of heat. In the 18th century, there were several competing theories about the nature of heat, and how it related to temperature.

      Black’s investigations not only clarified the distinction between temperature and heat, but also resulted in the theory of latent heat. Black was gifted and effective teacher. His course in chemistry proved so popular that many students, even those with no particular interest in the subject, were eager to attend.

     Alongside his teaching, black carried on an active and demanding medical practice. Joseph Black, widely respected both as a scientist and a physician, is truly one of the titans in the world of science.

Joseph Priestly, an Englishman is noted for his groundbreaking contributions to experimental chemistry, electricity, and the chemistry of gases.

       Before him, scientists thought that the air on earth consisted of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Priestley brought 10 more gases to this light, such as nitrogen, hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and oxygen.

       He isolated oxygen in its gaseous state, and conducted a series of experiments to distinguish each gas based on its properties. Priestley also made another discovery that has been highly appreciated by surgeons worldwide. He discovered nitrous oxide, which was also known as laughing gas. It was the first surgical an aesthetic to be used.

      Priestley’s best known achievement in the field of biology in 1772 was his work with photosynthesis. Priestley’s other interesting discoveries include the fact that graphite is a good electric conductor, and that gummy tree sap is a good eraser for pencil marks.

      Did you know that you can enjoy your favorite fizzy drink thanks to Joseph Priestley, for he was the one who invented soda water?