By Luca Palermo

 Isaac Newton was born on December 25, 1642 in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, at his family’s manor.  He lived with his mom, Hannah Ayscough, his grandfather, James Ayscough, and his grandmother. But, his mom remarried to Reverend Barnabas Smith, a minister, and left to North Whitham, without Isaac.  Isaac went to school at the King’s School, in his village, and at Trinity College, in Cambridge.  When his mom left Isaac, he wanted their house to burn down. He felt abandoned.  All the boys at King’s School picked on him, so he got the best grades and got “head boy” to get revenge.

 In 1669, Nicholas Mercator published a work on logarithms, which covered half of Newton’s secret work. Newton publish his own work De Analysi to get known.  Professor Barrow retired the same year, and Isaac Newton got to do lectures at Cambridge University. Now he could share his own work to students.  René Descartes published a hypothesis that white light is unchanging, but Newton discovered the spectrum and proved the theory wrong.  He went farther and built the first reflection telescope without chromatic aberration.  In 1672, Newton got elected a member a the Royal Society, a group of smart scientists.

 Newton is famous for many of his works, including:  The Principia  Opticks  In the Principia, Newton published the famous law of gravity and inertia.  However, Albert Einstein did prove this theory wrong, but Newton is still famous for it.  Also, Newton built the first reflecting telescope without chromatic aberration (little fringes of light in the lens.)

 Curious. Isaac Newton wondered about everything around him; from why everything falls down, to the stars, planets and comets. I admire this because it’s good to be aware of the world around you.  Confident.Newton stood up for himself when picked on and never let anyone take him for a fool. I admire this because lots of people thought of him as weird and crazy, but he knew that he could do great things if he ignored those comments.  Selfless.Often, when others asked Newton for money, he would give some to them. I admire this because it’s good to also give to others, instead of keeping everything.  Persistent. Newton never gave up. I admire this because it’s really good to follow your dreams.  Isaac Newton never settled for average, as I showed in “Accomplishments.” I admire this because to succeed, you need to do your best.

 John Wickins was Isaac’s only true friend at Cambridge until he left. He was the only one Isaac Newton told his ideas to.  René Descartes (DAY-kart), who Isaac studied, led Isaac’s mind in many different direction in science, which helped him theorize new things.  Edmund Halley, a member at the Royal Society, urged Newton to publish Newton’s Principia (prin-KIP-ia). Halley emptied his bank account to pay for the publishing. (Edmund Halley, an astronomer, observed and discovered Halley’s Comet.)  Nicholas Mercator, a scientist, published a book on logarithms, which Newton had secretly been working on (his work on fluxions), inspired Newton to publish his first work.

 What first got you interested in motion? I want to know this because Newton made so many discoveries, but what started it all?  Is the legend true that your theory of gravity in the Principia came from you watching an apple fall from a tree? People have said that Newton watched an apple fall down, and he wondered why.  Would you have enjoyed having kids? Do you have anything against them? I want to know because he never got married.

 When Isaac Newton lived in Kensington, London, he often had his niece come over to his house to greet his many guests Newton had over. One year, Isaac Newton thought that his house needed to look fancier. Strangely, Isaac’s niece covered every couch, bed, chair, and cushion with a neat red cloth. No one knows why.

 Hollihan, Kerrie Logan. Isaac Newton and physics for kids: his life and ideas with 21 activities. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press, Print. Hollihan, Kerrie Logan. Isaac Newton and physics for kids: his life and ideas with 21 activities. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press, Print.  Timeline info from: sparknotes.comsparknotes.com