Despite being foundational to our society, science did not really begin until about three centuries ago.
While many point to the 1700s as marking the beginnings of science, the scientific method actually traces its origins to an earlier time period: the Middle Ages. While Europe was still in the Dark Ages, substantial advances were being made around the world, including in the Middle East.
Ibn al-Haytham was an Arab scientist widely credited with founding the scientific method. Aside from this, he also made substantial contributions to optics and mathematics.
Several hundred years after Ibn al-Haytham, Europe made the transition to the Renaissance. With the invention of the printing press, ideas were able to spread more quickly than ever before, and this period saw the rise of many scientists we recognize today.
Francis Bacon was one such Renaissance scientist. He strongly advocated for the scientific method, and is widely known as the founder of empiricism, an idea foundational to modern science. At heart, however, Francis Bacon was more of a philosopher than a scientist. Nonetheless, his work laid the foundations for those that came after him.
With the work done by Francis Bacon, Gaileo Galilei, and many others, science was ready to blossom. During the 1700s and 1800s, many scientists made substantial contributions. In fact, whole new fields of science originated during this time period.
Michael Faraday conducted considerable research on electromagnetism during the 1800s. Among his most revolutionary inventions were the motor and generator. You have Michael Faraday to thank for the electricity you use every day!
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