Christian Huygens
Proposed the wave theory of light and made significant contributions to mechanics and horology.
Most quoted
"It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tossed upon the sea; a pleasure to stand in the window of a castle, and to see a battle and the adventures thereof: but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth..."
— from Attributed
"One finds in this subject a kind of demonstration which does not carry with it so high a degree of certainty as that of geometry; and which differs distinctly from the method employed by geometers."
— from Treatise on Light, 1690
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution."
— from Treatise on Light, 1690
All quotes by Christian Huygens (392)
In the vastness of space, man is but a speck, yet his mind reaches the stars.
The telescope reveals truths hidden from the naked eye.
Every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by a force.
Nature is written in mathematical characters.
The beauty of science lies in its simplicity.
I have always found that the less we know, the more we believe.
The motion of the planets is governed by laws as precise as those of a clock.
Life's greatest joy is the pursuit of truth.
Waves propagate through ether like ripples in water.
The infinite variety of nature defies complete understanding.
Precision in measurement is the key to discovery.
Stars are suns to other worlds.
Doubt is the beginning of wisdom.
The human mind is capable of comprehending the divine order.
Saturn's ring is a marvelous anomaly in the heavens.
Time flies, but understanding endures.
The pendulum swings with unerring regularity.
In solitude, the mind expands to the cosmos.
Light's speed is finite, yet vast beyond measure.
The universe whispers its secrets to those who listen.
Contemporaries of Christian Huygens
Other Physicss born within 50 years of Christian Huygens (1629–1695).