Christiaan Huygens (The Hague, April 14, 1629 - July 8, 1695) was a leading Dutch wisdom, naturalist and astronomer, inventor and writer of early science fiction. He was one of the leading figures of seventeenth-century science.
In mathematics he was a pioneer of the probability account and a roadmaker of the differential and integral account, although his methods remained strictly geometric. In physics he contributed in many areas: he first formulated correct laws for the elastic collision, and expressions for the period of mathematical crank and the centrifugal force in mechanics. He also stated in his Traité de la Lumière (1690) the first light as a wave phenomenon with the Principe of Huygens-Fresnel, which became the widely accepted optical theory from the nineteenth century and now forms part of the concept of duality of waves and particles. Research into the birefringence of light in Icelandic crystal brought Huygens to the preparation of a theory for polarized light. He further explained noise phenomena with interference. Because Huygens used the first mathematical formulas in physics, he is seen as the first theoretical physicist.
In astronomy, Huygens contributed by further developing the telescope and declaring the unexplored appearance of Saturn as hitherto a planet with rings. He discovered the Moon Titan with this planet. As an inventor, Huygens includes the pendulum work, the steam engine's principle and a gunpowder engine. Because of his speculations about alien life, Huygens is seen as an early science fiction author.
Life Christiaan Huygens by Jean-Jacques Clérion (1639-1714), around 1670 ?, relief, Museum Boerhaave, Leiden Huygens' outside Hofwijck seen from the station of Voorburg Station YouthHuygens was born in 1629 in The Hague on the Long Houtstraat in a prosperous and distinguished family. His father, Constantijn Huygens (1596-1687), was a diplomat, advisor to the Orans, poet and composer. Christiaan was named after his grandfather, the father of Constantine. His mother was Suzanna van Baerle (1599-1637), "Sterre" in the poems of father Constantijn. She was not a family of Barlaeus, but through her father Jan Henrickzn of Baerle, she was a family of Susanna Hoefnagel, her mother in law. Christiaan later wrote about his mother that she had a great predilection for the natural sciences. There were five children, in order of birth Constantijn junior, Christiaan, Louis, Philip and Suzanna. When Huygens was eight years old, his mother died. Her role in the family was taken over by a niece.
The children received classes from governors in many subjects: math, music, Latin, Greek, French, Italian and logic, but also dancing and horse riding. Huygens appeared in everything and conversed at his ninth in Latin. He played clover, lyric and viola da gamba. He also worked with his hands, because he himself made a lathe.
Father Constantijn Huygens has painted his family several times. There are portraits of Christiaan and Mother Suzanna by Caspar Netscher. In 1639 Adriaen Hanneman painted Constantijn Huygens surrounded by his five children.
As a result of his father, Huygens came into contact with leading mathematicians, such as René Descartes and with the scientific mediator Marin Mersenne. The latter clearly influenced Huygens' education in mathematics and compared him to Archimedes. Huygens received a mathematical essay from Jan Stampioen in 1644, who in 1645 wrote a (preserved) study advice for him. study
Huygens studied law and mathematics at Leiden University from 1645 to 1647, including the stimulating mathematician Frans van Schooten, a descendant of Descartes. Johan de Witt and Hendrik van Heuraet also studied mathematics at Van Schooten.
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