On this day 281 years ago, Sir Isaac Newton died at the age of 84. In 1687 he published what has been regarded as the greatest work in the history of science, entitled Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (“Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy”). The book consists of three volumes, the first two entitled “On the Motion of Bodies” (including a mathematical exposition of calculus), and the third entitled “On the System of the World” (including universal gravitation).
Newton is regarded as the person who first described universal gravitation and the laws of inertia, acceleration and reciprocal actions. He described the principles of conservation of momentum and angular momentum. He invented the reflecting telescope and developed a theory of colour using a prism to break white light down into different colours. He demonstrated the generalised binomial theorem, and formulated a law of cooling.
Newton was also a profoundly religious person. He said, “Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done.” During his lifetime, he actually wrote more on religion than he wrote on science. He saw God as the master creator whose existence could not be denied in the face of the grandeur of all creation.