Albert Einstein may have made the discoveries that led to nuclear and solar power, lasers and even a physical description of space and time, but Sir Isaac Newton had a greater impact on science and mankind, according to a poll published Wednesday.
Posted on 11/23/2005 6:04:12 PM PST by PatrickHenry
Newton, the 17th-century English scientist most famous for describing the laws of gravity and motion, beat Einstein in two polls conducted by eminent London-based scientific academy, the Royal Society.
More than 1,300 members of the public and 345 Royal Society scientists were asked separately which famous scientist made a bigger overall contribution to science, given the state of knowledge during his time, and which made a bigger positive contribution to humankind.
Newton was the winner on all counts, though he beat the German-born Einstein by only 0.2 of a percentage point (50.1 percent to 49.9 percent) in the public poll on who made the bigger contribution to mankind.
The margin was greater among scientists: 60.9 percent for Newton and 39.1 percent for Einstein.
The results were announced ahead of the "Einstein vs. Newton" debate, a public lecture at the Royal Society on Wednesday evening.
"Many people would say that comparing Newton and Einstein is like comparing apples and oranges, but what really matters is that people are appreciating the huge amount that both these physicists achieved, and that their impact on the world stretched far beyond the laboratory and the equation," said Royal Society president Lord Peter May.
Pro-Newton scientists argue he led the transition from an era of superstition and dogma to the modern scientific method.
His greatest work, the "Principia Mathematica", showed that gravity was a universal force that applied to all objects in the universe, finally ruling out the belief that the laws of motion were different for objects on Earth and in the heavens.
Einstein's supporters point out that his celebrated theory of relativity disproved Newton's beliefs on space and time and led to theories about the creation of the universe, black holes and parallel universes.
He also proved mathematically that atoms exist and that light is made of particles called photons, setting the theoretical foundations for nuclear bombs and solar power.
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Newton described macroscopic slow moving limiting behavior. Einstein described the framework of that behavior and its limits.
I think I agree with the outcome of the poll...
I agree.
Newton was the creator of a new paradigm. As part of the old he was an alchemist. As part of the new he was a scientist. Eintein was just a bead in a necklace.
Newton is the greatest scientist of all times period. Einstein should not be even in the top 5.
I do think it's apples and oranges, but the impact of Newton was astounding. The development of calculus alone has changed so much of science. Of course, this sort of question makes one think of other greats such as Galileo Galilei, who had to face a world of mindless religious fanaticism which would have rather seen us all as slaves eating dirt.
Still the greatest is Aristotle.
The"public" voted Newton as the winner by only 0.2 of a percentage point (50.1 percent to 49.9 percent) but
The margin was greater among scientists: 60.9 percent for Newton and 39.1 percent for Einstein.
I would think the public would vote Newton inventing gravity as the winner.
Considering Newton did his work in the 1666 and beyond era, I find his accomplishments amazing.
...And photon torpedoes
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"Hey we are being attacked. Quickly shoot the photon torpedo."
Let`s see ... a bunch of English scientists vote for the English scientist.
Agree with the poll.
Newton (Isaak) is one hot dude.
That was a great invention, but it made the world a lot more dangerous than it was before things started falling. It did get all those damn leaves out of the air, though. That's when people discovered the stars. It's a Muslim that lie they knew about them before then.
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