Robert Hooke

A British scientist, born 1635 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight and died 1703 in London. He discovered the law of elasticity and did researches in a remarkable variety of fields.

1655 he was employed by Robert Boyle. Five years later he discovered his law of elasticity, “which states the stretching of a solid body (e.g., metal, wood) is proportional to the force applied to it." (Encyclopædia Britannica) In September of 1664 he discovers the fifth star in the Orion trapezium. 1665 Hooke published Micrographia, a seminal work on microscope. This publication brings him “well deserved worldwide scientific acclaim.” (www.roberthooke.com) After the Great Fire of 1666 he redesigned the Bethlem Hospital. In 1678 he was involved in the invention of the watch. He applied the spiral spring. Robert Hooke a member of the Royal Society of London. 1662 he was appointed curator of experiments, he is elected Fellow of the Royal Society (FSR) in 1663. He replaced Henry Oldenburg as Royal Society secretary in 1677. In 1682 he resigned as secretary.

Literature:

www.roberthooke.com

The new Encyclopædia Britannica,in 32 vol.[1974],Encyclopædia Britannica

Arnold-Baker, Charles: The companion to British history, 1996.