Trivia!

On January 4, 1643, one of the world’s greatest scientists was born – Sir Isaac Newton. (Although he earned the titled “Sir” much later after birth!) You may know that he defined the law of gravity, helped create the field of calculus, explained planetary motion , etcetra, but there are so many other interesting facts about this great man.
Actually, Newton was born on the 25th day of December in 1642; however, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the 19th century, the date became Jan. 4, 1643. He was such a small preemie, that his mother said he could have fit inside a quart mug!
And much like Einstein, Newton was a terrible student. That is, until the day a bully kicked him. Although smaller, Newton challenged the bully to a fight and won. Having tasted victory, Newton decided to be a better student than the bully as well.
  
More Fun Facts about Newton:
• Newton’s father, a farmer who died three months before Isaac’s birth, could barely write his own name.
• Newton liked to draw – the walls and even the ceiling of his room were drawn on.
• The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but Newton wasn’t sitting under the tree! Newton claimed that he was inside his house looking out a window when he saw the famous apple fall.
• Newton’s alma mater The King’s School in England claims to have purchased the famous apple tree and transplanted it in its garden.
• Man would never have landed on the moon without Newton. His discoveries about light and the movement of planets made the flights possible.
• Newton was the first scientist ever to be knighted.
• Most of Newton’s discoveries were made in his 20s, but he didn’t publish them until later. This reluctance, secrecy or plain old procrastination led to several controversies over credit.
• Newton wrote more about religion than about science and mathematics.
• Newton was deeply religious and believed in a God who controlled everything. But unlike most other educated men of his time, he didn’t believe in a devil or the Holy Trinity.
• Newton predicted that the end of the world will happen in 2060.
• Newton secretly experimented in alchemy (turning metal into gold). The experiments had to be kept secret since alchemy was a felony!
• In 1689, Newton was elected to Parliament and served only one year. It is said that he only uttered one sentence as a Member of Parliament – he asked an usher to close an open window!
• In 1696, Newton became a warden of the London Mint and investigated counterfeiters.