Timeline Description: Robert Hooke's theories and discoveries formed the basis for some of the most basic scientific absolutes that we hold today. He was an original member of the Royal Society, and the first paid professional scientist.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 28, 1635 | Robert is born Robert was born on the Isle of Wight. He was the youngest of four kids, and his father and brothers were ministers of the church. |
| 1648 | Robert's apprenticeship When Robert's father died, he left him enough money to get started in an apprenticeship. Robert studied under Samuel Cowper and Peter Lely. |
| 1653 | Robert the chorister Robert had studied music, so when he was given the chance to sing at Christ Church, Oxford, he took the opportunity. While there, he met Robert Boyle, who would open new doors for Robert Hooke. |
| 1655 | A new job Robert went to work for several years with Robert Boyle. Boyle was a natural philosopher, and he led Hooke to constructing, operating, and demonstrating new philosophies and inventions. |
| 1657 | Time keeping(1657-58) During this period in time, there were no accurate watches. Time was kept with a pendulum, and Hooke worked on improving its time-telling abilities; he would eventually give up on his idea, and it would be developed later by other inventors. |
| 1659 | Theories disproven Robert Hooke continued his work under Boyle. At one time they even theorized that man could fly, but they quickly disproved that theory because man's muscles weren't sufficient enough. |
| 1660 | Robert publishes his theories Hooke and Boyle conducted most of their experiments in private. In 1660 Robert Hooke published his findings for the world to see. |
| 1660 | The Royal Society Robert Hooke and his growing group of fellow philosophers decided to form an official organization for their theorizing. They called it the Royal Society. |
| April 1660 | Gravity One of the Royal Society's first group experiments was testing how water rose in small or large pipes. It was a study in gravity, and they published their findings. |
| 1661 | Hooke as curator Eventually, the Society decided their group needed a leader, or curator. They unanimously elected Robert Hooke to guide them. |
| 1664 | First paid scientist Robert Hooke became the first paid scientist in history through his work with the Royal Society. He was paid 50 pounds per year for his work as curator. |
| 1665 | The discovery of microscopy Through a series of experiments and observations, Hooke made one of the biggest discoveries of his lifetime. He discovered the "cell", or the basic make up of all living matter, through the use of microscopy, or the microscope. |
| 1691 | Doctor of Physics Several years before, Hooke had become the Gresham Professor of Geometry. He eventually earned his Doctor of Physics degree. |
| 1703 | Early mention of the steam engine One of the most famous myths surrounding Hooke and his discoveries involves the creation of the steam-powered engine. Some documents suggest he observed the use of steam to power machines, but these documents have never been proven true. |
| March 3, 1703 | Robert Hooke's death Robert Hooke passed away at the age of 67. His legacy has lived on, with inventions and discoveries in the areas of mechanics, microscopy, paleontology, gravitation, astronomy, memory, and more. |