JERUSALEM: Renowned British scientist Sir Isaac Newton, is known
as the father of modern physics and astronomy, but he also came up
with the odd crackpot theory, a 1704 letter suggests.
In the letter, which went on show at a Jerusalem exhibition
yesterday, he used biblical scriptures to predict the world would
end in 2060.
Newton was a famed rationalist, and went as far as securing a royal
exemption from ordination in the Church of England - which was
normally expected of academics of his day - so he would not have to
follow its teachings. Nonetheless, Newton based his prediction on
the Bible.
Working from verses in the Book of Daniel, the elaborator of the
classical laws of gravity, motion and optics argued that the world
would end 1,260 years after the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire
in western Europe in 800 AD.
Interest in superstitions
The letter, on show at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, in Israel, as
part of an exhibition entitled "Newton's Secrets", is part of an
array of papers of the British scientist bequeathed to the
institution by a wealthy collector of scientific manuscripts.
The university said it was the first time the letter had been put
on public show since 1969.
Newton's late 17th century work, at Cambridge University in
England, was the foundation stone of modern science until the
discovery of relativity and quantum mechanics in the last
century.
But it has long been known that the ground-breaking physicist also
took a keen interest in superstitions of his day that have long
since fallen foul of modern science.
Newton spent four years in the 1670s preparing a work on alchemy,
the notion that base metals can be turned into gold.
As for whether it's likely Newton's prediction will come true;
we'll have to wait another 53 years to find out.
