Friday, March 28, 2008
This Day in the History of Fortuitous Rediscovery
On this day in 2006, the Royal Society bought back a formerly 'lost' set of hand written documents, 520 pages worth, by Robert Hooke, a largely forgotten but prolific English scientist who contributed greatly to the 17th Century scientific revolution generally as well as to the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666. The document included the minutes of the Royal Society from 1661-82. It had been found in a cupboard in a private house by an antiques expert there to value other items.
There are few representations of Hooke left, and the stained glass window in his honor (above) has been destroyed. The louse flea (sorry) and the 'cells' (he coined the word) are his drawings, as well as the published work pictured.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
Labels: Robert Hooke, Royal Society
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:39 AM 
