Robert Hooke was a scientist from the late 15th century who specialized in viewing tiny creatures and sketching them so they could viewed by the public. After creating his own microscope he started his journey into the field of microscopy. Here is a picture of his microscope. Through his microscope Hooke discovered tiny creatures, cells, and it even lead him to develop his theories on combustion. Almost all of his research was later published in a book called Micrographia.
Robert Hooke didn't start off his scientific career viewing things through a microscope. He was the first person to suggest that matter expands when heated which has influenced science today because it helped develop techniques for obtaining absolute zero, which is used today for quantum computing. At another time he also served as a surveyor and map-maker. During his microscopic studies he was able to shock the scientific community with his highly detailed sketches of what appeared to be monsters, but were actually fleas and lice. Here are pictures of the sketches he did of a flea and a louse. As you can see these creatures must of have appeared to be monsters to the citizens of the 15th century. Robert Hooke's findings have greatly influenced scientific research in the past as well as modern day reasearch.
Works Cited
Hooke Flea Sketch. Digital image. Project Gutenberg. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
Hooke Louse Sketch. Digital image. Project Gutenberg. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
Hooke_Microscope. Digital image. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
Robert Hooke.org. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
The images Hooke drew must have totally altered our perception of the world, and our concept of beauty, monstrosity, and invisible things that perhaps we should be afraid of. I wonder whether people welcomed the knowledge or shunned it. And did this serve to further mystify God's creation, or demystify it? Was there any conflict between Hooke's science and religious teachings?
ReplyDeleteI was startled by the intricate designs on Hooke's microscope--everything used to be made with an eye to an aesthetic. Today, many objects are created as purely utilitarian, and whether or not they have an aesthetic appeal seems unimportant.
Be sure to check out the Nikon Small World Galleries when you consider contemporary connections and aesthetics. http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/gallery
Wow, his pictures are extraordinarily detailed for the time period. What were the reactions of the scientific community to these illustrations? Did they believe him?
ReplyDeleteHooke was born in 1635, not the "late 15th century"
ReplyDelete