Christopher Wren

Today in 1632 (on the then still in use Julian calendar), Christopher Wren was born in East Knoyle, Wiltshire, England. Wren was primarily known as an architect and was in charge of rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London following the Great Fire in 1666, including St. Paul’s Cathedral. However, he was also an eminent natural scientist, serving as a professor of astronomy at Gresham College and then at Oxford, and contributing widely in the fields of optics, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, meteorology, mechanics, and more. A problem that he posed to Robert Hooke and Edmond Halley in which he challenged them to develop a mathematical theory linking Kepler’s laws of motion with a law defining force led to Isaac Newton’s Principia. Wren was one of the founding members of the Royal Society and president of the organization from 1680–1682 and he was also a Member of Parliament four times.

Date in History: 20 October 1632