Robert Hooke Biography

Robert Hooke was famous English Physicist. Read on to know more about Robert Hooke’s profile, childhood, life and timeline in this biography.

Quick Facts

Gender: Male

Birthday: 18 July 1635

Died: 03 March 1703

Nationality: British

Famous: Biologists

Sun Sign: Cancer

Education: Christ Church, Westminster School

An English physicist, Robert Hook is also known as the ‘father of microscopy’, who reconfirmed Antony van Leewenhoek’s observations of the presence of microorganisms under a microscope. Apart from being a physicist, Hooke also conducted various researches in a remarkable number of fields such as philosophy and mathematics. To his credit are a couple of notable events. He first discovered Hooke’s law, following which he studied microorganisms under a microscope and then went on to design a microscope of his own known as the Gregorian reflecting telescope. His works on the cells and the study of fossils made him one of the first advocates of the various theories of evolution.

Early Life & Career

Very little is known about Robert Hooke’s early life. However, Robert, like the other children of the day, was down with extremely poor and had a tough childhood. His parents helped him recover medically with whatever little money they had and wanted a proper education for their son. However, constant headaches and a lack of confidence prevented Robert from giving his best in academics. He later, studied at Wadham College and formed a tightly-knit circle with royalists.

Largely unacknowledged, Robert Hooke, a microscopist, surveyor, astronomer, mathematician and physicist discovered some of the most extraordinary things during his lifetime and failed to achieve the recognition he deserved. His famed works included, ‘Micrographia’—a book on microscopy and a few works on light, clockwork, gravity and gases. During the initial years of his career, Robert Hooke was also employed as a chorister at the Christ Church at Oxford. However, he realized that his true calling lay in the field of science and he gave up his musical career to start afresh.In 1660, Robert Hooke discovered the law of elasticity where he described in detail the linear variation of tension correlated to the extension of the elastic in spring. Through this, he developed the theory of the balance spring and also contributed in the fields of gravitation and mechanics. Apart from being so actively involved in science, Robert also studied star clusters, double-star systems and was one of the first observers of the rings of Saturn.

Towards the end of his life, it is believed that Robert Hooke turned delusional and bitter. Frequent disputes with other scientists do not paint a favorable picture of him. Hooke died on March 3, 1703, aged 67.