- 1643-1727, English mathematician, physicist, and natural philosopher
- three laws of motion: inertia, F=ma, action-reaction, the foundation of classical mechanics
- law of universal gravitation: every mass attracts every other mass with force proportional to the product of masses and inversely proportional to distance squared
- co-invented calculus (independently of Leibniz), providing the mathematical language for continuous change
- optics: demonstrated white light is a composite of spectral colors using prism experiments
- Principia Mathematica (1687): unified terrestrial and celestial mechanics under a single mathematical framework
- Master of the Royal Mint, reforming English coinage and currency standards
- laid the groundwork for the entire edifice of physics that Albert Einstein later extended with relativity