Robert Hooke

Robert Hooke was born on the Isle of Wight in 1635. His father was a vicar in Freshwater, but he died when Robert was 13 years old. He must have left enough money for young Robert to be educated at Oxford University although he didn't graduate.

He researched a lot on light, but he is best known for inventing and developing all sorts of scientific instruments including the microscope.

Some of the other instruments he developed were air pumps, wheel barometers, arithmetic machines, the first Gregorian telescope, and the spring driven watch.
His work on elasticity and springs earned him a Law that is named after him. Hookes Law concerns vibrating strings being equivalent to pendulums.

He also suggested calibrating thermometers by using the freezing point of water as zero, and many astronomical ideas, including the rotation of Jupiter.

He designed houses in London that had been destroyed in the Great Fire, probably drew the map of the Polar Regions for Pitt's English Atlas, invented windmills that turned themselves into the wind, air guns and a variety of carriages.

He must have been a very busy man!

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