1629-1695

Dutch Physicist

Christiaan Huygens is famous for establishing the wave theory of light. He formulated the conservation law for elastic collisions, produced the first theorems of centripetal force, and developed the dynamical theory of oscillating systems. He also made improvements to the telescope, discovered Saturn's moon Titan, and invented the pendulum clock.

Huygens was born on April 14, 1629, in The Hague, Netherlands. His father Constantijn (1596-1687) was a diplomat and well-known Renaissance poet. The Huygens household received frequent visits from French intellectuals including René Descartes (1596-1650), who greatly influenced young Christiaan. Huygens was educated at home before entering the University of Leiden to study law and mathematics (1645-47). From 1647 to 1649 he studied law at the Collegium Arausiacum in Breda. Rejecting the idea of a diplomatic career, he returned home in 1650 to devote himself to science.

Although an outstanding mathematician, Huygens's only original mathematical contributions were his...