Category Archives: mathematics

Christmas Trilogy 2012 Part II: Charles and Ada: A tale of genius or of exploitation?

Posted on December 26, 2012 by thonyc

This year Ada Lovelace Day, a celebration of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fuelled by the Finding Ada website and twitter account took off big time. Now I have nothing against this celebration and have actively supported it on this blog … Continue reading →

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Killed by Homeopathy

Posted on December 8, 2012 by thonyc

The mathematician, philosopher and logician George Boole died on the 8th December 1864. What most people don’t realise is that he was in all probability killed by homeopathy. [curious?]

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An Italo-Chinese Jesuit

Posted on October 6, 2012 by thonyc

The first history of science post that I wrote for The Renaissance Mathematicus was about the Jesuit mathematicus and educational reformer Christoph Clavius and his introduction of the mathematical sciences into the curricula of the European Catholic schools, colleges and universities at … Continue reading →

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The Virgin Queen was in reality John Dee in drag.

Posted on July 1, 2012 by thonyc

The rumbling you can hear in the background is the HISTSCI HULK playing skittles with some skyscrapers. He’s all riled up and wants to place a big green foot in Carole Jahme’s butt and propel her into publishing purgatory. What … Continue reading →

Posted in Astrology, astronomy, History, mathematics | Leave a comment

Mapping the history of triangulation

Posted on May 25, 2012 by thonyc

Triangulation was for about 400 years until the invention of GPS the only tool available to cartographers to help them produce highly accurate maps. Maps that had hugh political, economic, scientific and military significance in the modern era. Have you … Continue reading →

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It’s not the Mercator projection; it’s the Mercator-Wright projection

Posted on March 5, 2012 by thonyc

500 years ago on 5th March 1512 Gerard de Kremer was born in Rupelmonde […]

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Midwifery in the evolution of science

Posted on February 16, 2012 by thonyc

Georg Joachim Rheticus who was born 16th February 1514 was responsible for persuading Copernicus to publish his De revolutionises but who was he? to find the answer go here

Posted in astronomy, Early Scientific Printing, History, mathematics | Leave a comment

How Charles tried to oust Isaac from Cambridge

Posted on December 26, 2011 by thonyc

In 1812 Charles Babbage, who was born 26th December 1791, tried to oust Isaac Newton from Cambridge University. If you want to know how and why this came about the you can read the answer here

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Only 26 and already a professor!

Posted on December 25, 2011 by thonyc

In 1669 Isaac Newton was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University. What did this appointment really mean in terms of recognition and status? To find out go here

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The story of a problem

Posted on December 8, 2011 by thonyc

The origins of an interesting geometrical problem posed by Regiomontanus in 1471 are explained here

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