History Of Science Collection (#11)

Engraving depicting a gyroscope being used
Engraving depicting a gyroscope, a device consisting of a wheel or disc mounted so that it can spin rapidly about an axis which is itself free to alter in direction. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting an experiment involving an inclined plane used to demonstrate the action of gravity on a falling body. Dated 18th Century

Photograph taken during the launch an Orbiting Geophysical Observatory spacecraft

Photograph taken during the launch of Mercury-Atlas 8, 20th century
Photograph taken during the launch of MercuryAtlas 8

Engraving depicting the telescope of an observatory in Paris, 19th century
Engraving depicting the telescope of an observatory in Paris

Engraving depicting the interior of the Nice Observatory, Mont Gros, France, 19th century
Engraving depicting the interior of the Nice Observatory

Engraving depicting a toy known as automatic puppets, 19th century
Engraving depicting a toy known as automatic puppets

Engraving depicting a gyroscope being used, 19th century
Engraving depicting a gyroscope being used

Engraving depicting the mechanism of an air pump, 19th century
Engraving depicting the mechanism of an air pump

Engraving depicting an experiment showing how expansion is caused by heat

Engraving depicting a general view of early xray apparatus, 20th century
Engraving depicting a general view of early xray apparatus

Illustration depicting the night and day of the microcosm by Robert Fludd, 17th century
Illustration depicting the night and day of the microcosm by Robert Fludd

Scientific American illustration of the Flying Bedstead, 1885
Scientific American illustration of the Flying Bedstead

Engraving depicting a dividing engine for making scales on astronomical instruments. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting a toy gyroscope (or Magic Top). A gyroscope is a device consisting of a wheel or disc mounted so that it can spin rapidly about an axis which is itself free to alter in direction

Engraving depicting Lavoisier and Laplaces Calorimeter which he used to determine the amount of heat produced by combustion. Dated 19th Century

Octopus, 19th Century illustration
Octopus, 1890 illustration

Benoit Mandelbrot, caricature C013 / 7590
Benoit Mandelbrot (1924-2010). Caricature of the French-American mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot. Mandelbrot is best known as the father of fractal geometry, a branch of complex number theory

Christiaan Huygens, caricature
Christiaan Huygens (1629-1693). Caricature of the Dutch physicist and astronomer Christiaan Huygens. Huygens is best known as the inventor of the pendulum clock

The Wright brothers first powered flight
Photograph of the first powered flight, made by Orville Wright on 17 December 1903 near Kill Devil Hill, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA

Lord Kelvin, caricature C015 / 6712
Lord Kelvin (1824-1907). Caricature of the British physicist and mathematician William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin. Kelvin was co-discoverer in 1852 of the Joule-Thomson effect

Ernst Kummer, caricature C015 / 6704
Ernst Kummer (1810-1893). Caricature of the German mathematician Ernst Eduard Kummer. Kummer trained German army officers in ballistics

Fred Hoyle, caricature C015 / 6705
Fred Hoyle (1915-2001). Caricature of the British astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle. Hoyle is most famous for his adoption of the steady-state theory of the universe

Edmond Halley, caricature C015 / 6703
Edmond Halley (1656-1742). Caricature of the British astronomer Sir Edmond Halley. Halley is famous for deducing that the comets seen in 1456, 1531, 1607 and 1682 were the same object

Berthold Schwarz, German alchemist C013 / 9550
Berthold Schwarz. Historical engraving of the German alchemist and monk Berthold Schwarz experimenting with gunpowder. Schwarz was the first person to use gunpowder to shoot projectiles

Hydra constellation. Illustrated card from a 19th century astronomical teaching aid called Uranias Mirror, after the Greek muse of astronomy

Electrical sewing machine, 1900
Electrical sewing machine. Historical artwork of a woman using a 19th-century electrical sewing machine. She is using her feet to operate a pedal that moves an electrical contact over a rheostat

Steam engine indicator in its box. This portable instrument was used to measure the cylinder pressure and piston movement in a steam engine

De Laval steam turbine. Diagram of a cross-section through the steam turbine invented by the Swedish engineer Gustaf de Laval (1845-1913). De Laval built his first steam turbine in 1887

Infrared spectrometer, 1954
Infrared spectrometer. Researcher using an infrared grating spectrometer. This is used to analyse the composition of chemicals by recording the wavelengths at which they absorb infrared radiation

Electric light bulb research
Electric light bulbs being tested to determine their lifespan. Photographed in the Light Division of the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK

Gusmaos Passarola airship, 1709
Gusmaos Passarola airship. Historical artwork of the Passarola airship design that was proposed in 1709 by the Portuguese priest and naturalist Bartolomeu de Gusmao (1685-1724)

HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in the Arctic. These two British naval ships made up Sir John Franklins 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage

Tupolev Tu-2, Soviet WW2 bomber
Tupolev Tu-2, Soviet World War II bomber. This bomber was one of the most reliable during World War II. It was built by the aircraft design bureau led by Soviet aviation engineer Andrei Tupolev

Soviet bomber with parasite fighters 1935
Soviet Aviamatka (airborne mothership) with its parasite aircraft in flight. The large aircraft is a Tupolev TB-3 four-engined heavy bomber

Soviet Maxim Gorky ANT-20, 1934
Soviet Maxim Gorky ANT-20, in 1934, acompanied by two smaller biplanes. This 8-engine monoplane, named after the Soviet author Maxim Gorky, was built between 1933 and 1934

Medical zodiac, 15th century diagram
Medical zodiac. 15th century diagram with Greek text illustrating how the human body relates to the zodiac signs. Such information was used in medical practices, such as bloodletting

Thales, Ancient Greek philosopher
Thales of Miletus (c.624-c.546 BC), Ancient Greek philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, and the first identifiable scientist

Theophrastus, Ancient Greek philosopher
Theophrastus of Lesbos (c.371-c.287 BC), Ancient Greek philosopher. Known as the " father of botany", Theophrastus studied with Plato in Athens

Leonhard Euler, Swiss mathematician
Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), Swiss mathematician. Euler developed the theory of differential equations and the calculus of variations, and did important work in astronomy and optics

Alexander Luria, Russian psychologist
Alexander Romanovich Luria (1902-1977), Russian psychologist. Luria was educated at Kazan University and established its Psychoanalytic Association

Thomas Huxley, English biologist
Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), English biologist. Huxley was a strong advocate of Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection

John Daniell, English chemist
John Frederic Daniell (1790-1845), English chemist and physicist. Daniell is best-known for his invention of the Daniell cell, a type of electric battery that improved on voltaic cells

Death of Archimedes in sack of Syracuse
Death of Archimedes in the sack of Syracuse. The Ancient Greek mathematician, physicst and engineer Archimedes (c.287-c.212 BC) was one of the leading scientists in antiquity

Aristotle studying in his youth. The Ancient Greek philosopher and naturalist Aristotle (384-322 BC) influenced many later thinkers, working in areas such as logic, astronomy, zoology

Java Man reconstruction. Reconstruction of the head of Java Man (Pithecanthropus erectus), later renamed Homo erectus. Reconstructions of Java Man are based on hominid fossil remains

Schiaparellis Mars, historical artwork
Giovanni Schiaparellis Mars of 1877 - 1878 with a small south polar caps and structures which led him to create the Mars canali, later misinterpreted as channels, Mars creatures made water ways

Konrad Lorenz, caricature
Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989). Caricature of the Nobel Prize-winning Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz being followed by a duckling. Lorenz studied medicine in Vienna before changing to zoology

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The history of science is a fascinating journey that has shaped our understanding of the world. From the groundbreaking discoveries to the innovative inventions, each milestone has contributed to our current knowledge and technological advancements. In 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev's periodic table revolutionized chemistry by organizing elements based on their properties and atomic weights. This iconic creation paved the way for further scientific exploration and experimentation. Even in medieval times, celestial mechanics fascinated scholars who depicted this intricate subject in their artwork. The intricate illustrations showcased not only their artistic skills but also their curiosity about the workings of the universe. Richard Feynman, a renowned physicist known for his contributions to quantum mechanics, was immortalized in a caricature that captured his brilliance and eccentricity. His work continues to inspire scientists around the globe. Evariste Galois left behind a part of his manuscript before his untimely death at just 20 years old. This document revealed profound insights into algebraic equations and laid the foundation for modern abstract algebra. Stephenson's Rocket, an early steam locomotive from 1829, marked a significant leap forward in transportation technology. Its design influenced future developments in railway engineering and propelled industrial progress. Historical artwork depicting bee anatomy showcases humanity's fascination with nature's intricacies. These detailed illustrations not only served as educational tools but also highlighted our desire to understand every aspect of life on Earth. The eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 resulted in mesmerizing sunsets that inspired artists worldwide. Through their artworks, they captured both beauty and chaos while reminding us of nature's awe-inspiring power. Title pages from Pacciolis Summa de Arithmetica reflect humankind's quest for mathematical knowledge throughout history. These ancient texts demonstrate how mathematics played an essential role even centuries ago. Dmitri Mendeleev himself became a subject of caricatures due to his influential work on chemistry’s periodic table. These humorous depictions celebrated his contributions and made science more accessible to the public.