MacTutor
Mathematicians Of The Day
18th October
Michael Stifel predicted that on this day in 1533 a chariot would touch down on a nearby hilltop and conduct him and his followers to heaven. Followers of the mathematical mystic quit their jobs, but as the day approached they became skeptical. Stifel convinced the local constabulary to lock him in jail on the appointed date where he would be safe from his ruined, irate parishioners.
The postage stamp of one of today's mathematicians at THIS LINK was issued in 1991.
The postage stamp of one of today's mathematicians at THIS LINK was issued in 1991.
Click on Ⓟ for a poster.
Born:
- 1633: Henry Coley Ⓟ
- 1735: Antonio Mario Lorgna Ⓟ
- 1750: James Glenie
- 1883: Eugenio Levi Ⓟ
- 1902: Pascual Jordan Ⓟ
- 1903: William Birnbaum Ⓟ
- 1910: Géza Grünwald Ⓟ
- 1919: George Box Ⓟ
- 1938: Phillip Griffiths Ⓟ
- 1945: Dusa McDuff Ⓟ
Died:
- 1779: Patrick d'Arcy Ⓟ
- 1786: Alexander Wilson Ⓟ
- 1793: John Wilson Ⓟ
- 1845: Dominique Cassini Ⓟ
- 1871: Charles Babbage Ⓟ
- 1903: John Purser Ⓟ
- 1917: Ruth Gentry
- 1974: Charles Weatherburn Ⓟ
Quotation of the day
From Charles Babbage
As soon as an Analytical Engine exists, it will necessarily guide the future course of the science. Whenever any result is sought by its aid, the question will then arise — by what course of calculation can these results be arrived at by the machine in the shortest time?
