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Science begins with problems. The world’s great
scientists were all thinkers who wanted to solve
life’s problems. This need for understanding has
produced many great inventions and discoveries.
Advances in science
Who invented the bifocal lens?
Science and technology
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
Leonardo was a painter and inventor.
He drew plans for helicopters,
aeroplanes, and parachutes.
Unfortunately, the technology
of the time was not good enough
to build any that worked.
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642)
Galileo proved that the Earth
moves around the Sun by
looking at the Solar System
through a telescope. A few
wise thinkers had always
suspected the truth, but
most people at the time
believed that our
Earth was the centre
of everything.
Isaac Newton (1642–1727)
Newton investigated forces and
light. He realized there must be
a force that keeps the planets in
orbit around the Sun. Today we
know this as gravity. Newton
also discovered that white light
is made up of all the colours of
the rainbow.
1400
1500
1600
Replica of a 17th-century
telescope
Wooden replica of
da Vinci’s Ornithopter.
Newton found that
white light was made
up of seven colours.
Stories suggest
Newton discovered
gravity with
an apple.
Johannes Gutenberg (1400–1468)
Gutenberg played a key role in printing. Experts
believe he invented metal-type printing in Europe.
Gutenberg’s press was quick, accurate, and hard-
wearing, compared to
earlier woodblock printing.
Gutenberg’s first printed book
was the Bible in 1455.
