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Christian Huygens, the 17th-century Dutch superstar, has gone down in the history of science for his achievements in mathematics, physics, astronomy and invention. Born in 1629, Huygens devoted his life to exploring the mysteries of the natural world, and his contributions spanned multiple disciplines, embodying the image of a true Renaissance scholar.
Huygens's achievements in the field of physics are particularly remarkable. For the first time, he accurately described the law of elastic collision, challenging and correcting the misconceptions that were prevalent at the time. In the field of optics, his theory of the wave of light is a profound insight into the nature of light. He described it in Traité de la Lumière (1690). His theory of light was initially rejected in favor of Newton's theory of particulate light until Augustin Jean Fresnel adapted Huygens's principle in 1821 to provide a complete explanation of the linear propagation and diffraction effects of light. Today, this principle is known as the Huygens-Fresnel principle.
Huygens was also a brilliant inventor. Huygens invented the pendulum clock in 1657 and was patented the same year. His research on clocks led to an extensive analysis of pendulums, which is considered one of the most important works on mechanics of the 17th century. In 1655, Huygens began grinding lenses with his brother Constantine to make refracting telescopes. He discovered Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and was the first to explain Saturn's strange appearance as "a thin, flat ring with nowhere to touch and leaning toward the ecliptic." In 1662, Huygens invented the Huygens eyepiece, a telescope with two lenses.
As a mathematician, Huygens developed the theory of evolution and wrote about games of chance and the problem of points. Huygens and others' use of expected values later inspired Jacob Bernoulli's work in probability theory.
Christian Huygens' contribution lies in his application of the scientific method and the bridge he built between theory and practice. His work not only promoted the progress of science, but also provided inspiration and foundation for scientific research and invention and innovation in later generations. On the road of exploring the natural world, Huygens is impressed by his keen observation, rigorous analysis, and innovative thinking.
Shortly before his death in 1695, Huygens completed The Theology of the Universe, speculating on the existence of extraterrestrial life.