Robert Hooke Biography

Academic, Philosopher, Scholar, Mathematician, Illustrator, Architect,Astronomer, Physicist, Scientist (1635–1703)

Robert Hooke is known as a "Renaissance Man" of 17th century England for his work in the sciences, which covered areas such as astronomy, physics and biology.

SynopsisBorn in Freshwater on England's Isle of Wight in 1635, scientist Robert Hooke was educated at Oxford and spent his career at the Royal Society and Gresham College. His research and experiments ranged from astronomy to biology to physics; he is particularly recognized for the observations he made while using a microscope and for "Hooke's Law" of elasticity. Hooke died in London in 1703.

Early Life and EducationRobert Hooke was born in the town of Freshwater, on England’s Isle of Wight, on July 18, 1635. His parents were John Hooke, who served as curate for the local church parish, and Cecily (née Gyles) Hooke.Initially a sickly child, Hooke grew to be a quick learner who was interested in painting and adept at making mechanical toys and models. After his father’s death in 1648, the 13-year-old Hooke was sent to London to apprentice with painter Peter Lely. This connection turned out to be a short one, and he went instead to study at London’s Westminster School.In 1653, Hooke enrolled at Oxford's Christ Church College, where he supplemented his meager funds by working as an assistant to the scientist Robert Boyle. While studying subjects ranging from astronomy to chemistry, Hooke also made influential friends, such as future architect Christopher Wren.

Teaching, Research and Other OccupationsHooke was appointed curator of experiments for the newly formed Royal Society of London in 1662, a position he obtained with Boyle's support. Hooke became a fellow of the society in 1663.Unlike many of the gentleman scientists he interacted with, Hooke required an income. In 1665, he accepted a position as professor of geometry at Gresham College in London. After the "Great Fire" destroyed much of London in 1666, Hooke became a city surveyor. Working with Wren, he assessed the damage and redesigned many of London’s streets and public buildings.Major Discoveries and AchievementsA true polymath, the topics Hooke covered during his career include comets, the motion of light, the rotation of Jupiter, gravity, human memory and the properties of air. In all of his studies and demonstrations, he adhered to the scientific method of experimentation and observation. Hooke also utilized the most up-to-date instruments in his many projects.Hooke’s most important publication was Micrographia, a 1665 volume documenting experiments he had made with a microscope. In this groundbreaking study, he coined the term "cell" while discussing the structure of cork. He also described flies, feathers and snowflakes, and correctly identified fossils as remnants of once-living things.The 1678 publication of Hooke's Lectures of Spring shared his theory of elasticity; in what came to be known as "Hooke’s Law," he stated that the force required to extend or compress a spring is proportional to the distance of that extension or compression. In an ongoing, related project, Hooke worked for many years on the invention of a spring-regulated watch.

Hooke Becomes a ScientistAged 20, in 1655, Hooke’s career took a further turn towards science.His abilities in working with mechanical instruments had become very refined, and he secured work in Oxford as an assistant to one of the founders of modern chemistry – Robert Boyle. Hooke worked with Boyle for seven years; during this time Boyle discovered Boyle’s Law using air pumps designed and built largely by Hooke.

The Royal SocietyIn 1662, now aged 27, Hooke was appointed as Curator of Experiments for the newly founded Royal Society, whose purpose was to advance scientific understanding of the world.As Curator, he was responsible for the experiments conducted by the Society. This was an important position for such a young man to hold. Clearly Hooke’s time with Boyle had won him admiration in the scientific world.Hooke moved from Oxford to London, where he held the Curator position for forty years.Robert Hooke’s Scientific DiscoveriesThe Measurement of TimeIn about 1657, Hooke greatly improved the pendulum clock by inventing the anchor escapement. This was a cog which gave a small push to every swing a pendulum took, preventing it running down, while also moving the hands of the clock forward.In about 1660, Hooke invented the balance spring, vital for accurate timekeeping in pocket watches, one of which he made for his own use. A pendulum cannot be used in a pocket watch, so another way of marking the passage of time is needed.Hooke’s balance spring was attached to a balance wheel and produced a regular oscillation; this oscillation allowed time to be kept accurately. Christian Huygens invented the balance spring independently of Hooke over a decade later.Hooke’s Law

In 1660 Hooke discovered Hooke’s Law, which states that the tension force in a spring increases in direct proportion to the length it is stretched to.Micrographia and MicroscopyIn 1665, when he was aged 30, Hooke published the first ever scientific bestseller: Micrographia.The book was a showcase for Hooke’s particular talents – his understanding of nature and light, his highly developed skills in designing and constructing scientific instruments, and his skills as an artist.Hooke had built a compound microscope with a new, screw-operated focusing mechanism he had designed. Previously, people needed to move the specimen to get it in focus.He further improved the microscope with lighting. He placed a water-lens beside the microscope to focus light from an oil-lamp on to his specimens to illuminate them brightly.

Robert Hooke’s own illustration of his compound microscope, with labels added by this website. Hooke used his microscope to observe the smallest, previously hidden details of the natural world. His book Micrographia revealed and described his discoveries.Some people disputed his diagrams because they refused to believe what they showed. The world Hooke had discovered was too alien for them!

Robert Hooke’s drawing from Micrographia of a dronefly’s head, showing detailed eye-structure. Images like this were too worryingly alien for some people to believe genuine. The Importance of Hooke’s MicrographiaMicrographia was one of the most important scientific books ever written, because it revealed a new world that people had never imagined could exist. Our knowledge of microbiology, quantum physics and nanotechnology can all be traced back to Hooke’s Micrographia and the path some scientists were inspired to follow after seeing the world Hooke had revealed.

Hooke’s Discovery of Plant CellsHooke looked at the bark of a cork tree and observed its microscopic structure. In doing so, he discovered and named the cell – the building block of life. He thought the objects he had discovered looked like the individual rooms in a monastery, which were known as cells. Hooke did not discover the true biological function of cells.

Plant cells, discovered, named and drawn by Robert Hooke. This illustration was first published in Hooke’s book Micrographia, in 1665.

 

Hooke’s Micrographia drawings of crystals taken from frozen urine 

Robert Hooke’s illustration of a bee’s sting. Hooke found that bee stings have barbs at the end. Image 2 is a more detailed illustration of the barbed end of the sting.

Micrographia and PaleontologyHooke used his microscope to study the ancient cells in fossilized wood. He concluded that fossils had once been living creatures whose cells had become mineralized. He also concluded that some species that had once existed must have become extinct. Although this is now accepted by almost everyone his proposal was controversial when he made it.

The Force of GravityIn a lecture in 1670, Hooke correctly said that gravity applied to all celestial bodies and that the force of gravity between bodies decreases with the distance between them. If the force were to be removed, the celestial bodies would move in straight lines.Hooke the ArchitectWhile working as a scientist, Hooke developed a sideline career as an architect. People liked his designs for buildings, and he was appointed to be Surveyor to the City of London. In fact, he made much more money as an architect than as a scientist, because he designed many of the buildings which replaced those destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666.

The EndIn his later years, Hooke became increasingly grumpy, engaging in a number of feuds with other scientists, often about who said what first. Hooke’s most famous feud was with Isaac Newton. Hooke thought Newton had not acknowledged Hooke’s ideas about gravity sufficiently.Although it is believed artists painted portraits of Hooke in his lifetime, none of these paintings now exists. Historians think that, although nobody deliberately set out to destroy paintings of Hooke, nobody made any great effort to preserve them either. The result is that we do not have any likenesses of this great scientist.Robert Hooke died aged 67, on March 3, 1703, in London. He had suffered ill-health for some years, but the precise cause of his death was not recorded. Thanks mainly to his work as an architect; he died a very wealthy man.

Prepared by: Panganiban, Perly D.