Why is Alhazen known as the pioneer of modern optics?

Born in the tenth century AD, Alhazen was an Arab who was known as the first true scientist.

He developed the scientific method of experimentation, and was the first person to formulate hypothesis and conduct verifiable experiments. A scientist, philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, Alhazen wrote over a hundred books, more than half of which have been preserved.

One of his most influential writings was in the field of optics. In this book Alhazen gave experimental proof of the nature of light, the structure of the eye and the basic principles of reflection via mirror. He stated that contrary to popular belief, the eye does not send out rays to the object it sees. Rather it is the light reflected via the object that the eye beholds.

This was a completely new and revolutionary concept. The book comprises sevenvoles, and was translated into Latin.

Comments

Why is Nicolas Copernicus considered to be a key figure in the field of astronomy ?

Nicholas Copernicus was 15 century astronomer and mathematician, translator artist and physicist among other things He is best known as the first astronomer to put forward the idea of a system in which the planets and planetary objects orbit the Sun. By 1508, Copernicus had begun to create his model of the planetary system, suggesting that the Sun, and not our Earth, was the centre of the Universe. His model of the Universe was accepted, whereas earlier models had not been, because his was more detailed and accurate. He also had a better formula for the calculation of the positions of the planets at different times of the year. The Roman Catholic Church criticised Copernicus' theories. It went so far as to ban his book 'De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium,' after he died, and it remained a forbidden book for almost three hundred years. The ideas of Copernicus were instrumental in the evolution of the field of astronomy. In fact, almost every notable astronomer who came afte...

What is Eratosthenes famous for?

He was famous as a mathematician and geographer. Eratosthenes produced a reliable, logical method to discover prime numbers. It's known as the sieve of Eratosthenes, and is still important in modern number theory in an updated form. Assuming that the Earth was a sphere, Eratosthenes calculated its size with good accuracy. He also calculated the tilt of Earth's axis fairly accurately. Eratosthenes produced the first map of the world which used meridian lines and parallel lines. These were similar to our modern lines of latitude and longitude. This great scientist can be said to have invented geography. In fact, today we still use the word he invented for this new discipline. Geo' was Greek for Earth' and 'graphy' meant 'field of study." Eratosthenes also wrote books on philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, history, comedy, and poetry. His all-round knowledge made him the ideal choice for the most prestigious job an academic could en...

Why is Pythagoras considered one of the greatest scientists of all time?

Pythagoras was an Ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher who lived more than 500 years before Christ. He spent most of his life in the Greek colonies in Sicily and southern Italy. He was also a philosopher, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. Pythagoras had a group of disciples who followed him around, and taught other people what he had taught them. He made crucial contributions to modern philosophy, as well as mathematics, science, and religious mysticism. It is also believed that he had a significant influence on medicine, music, astronomy, and divination. Pythagoras is best known for the mathematical theory named after him. He is without doubt, one of the greatest scientists not only of the ancient world, but of all time.

Great Scientists

Search This Blog