Isaac Newton was born in Lincolnshire, England in 1643, where he
grew up on a farm. When he was a boy, he made lots of brilliant
inventions like a windmill to grind corn, a water clock and a sundial.
However, Isaac didn’t get brilliant marks at school.
When he was 18, Isaac went to study at Cambridge University. He was
very interested in physics, mathematics and astronomy. But in 1665 the Great Plague, which was a
terrible disease, spread in England, and Cambridge University had to close down. Isaac returned
home to the farm.
Isaac continued studying and experimenting at home. One day he was drinking a cup of tea in the
garden. He saw an apple fall from a tree.
‘Why do apples fall down instead of up?’
From this, he formed the theory of gravity. Gravity is an invisible force which pulls objects towards
the Earth and keeps the planets moving around the Sun.
Isaac was fascinated by light. He discovered that white light is in fact made up of all the colours of
the rainbow. Isaac also invented a special reflecting telescope, using mirrors. It was much more
powerful than other telescopes.
Isaac made another very important discovery, which he called his ‘Three Laws of Motion’. These laws
explain how objects move. Isaac’s laws are still used today for sending rockets into space.
Thanks to his discoveries, Isaac became rich and famous. However, he had a bad temper and often
argued with other scientists.
‘You stole my discovery!’
Sir Isaac Newton died in 1727 aged 85. He was buried along with English kings and queens in
Westminster Abbey in London. He was one of the greatest scientists and mathematicians who has
ever lived.