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Home | Biography | An Attempt to Prove the Motion of the Earth | Hooke's Law | Resources
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Robert
Hooke is then made to apologize to Oldenburg by the Royal Society.
Hooke includes a withdrawals of accusations made in "Lampas - a
Description of some Mechanical Improvements of Lamps and Water-poises".
Oldenburg dies in October of that same year, and Hooke replaces him as
secretary. 1678 is another important year for Hooke. He publishes three important works, Microscopium, Cometa; in which he presents his findings on the great Comet of 1677, and finally, De Potentia Restitutiva, his treatise containing his theories of elasticity and the kinetic theory of gases. His two works, Cometa and Microscopium were also published in the same year. In 1682, Hooke resigns as secretary for the Royal Society, and, realizing that much of his work is being used as the basis for the research of others such as Sir Isaac Newton, he becomes increasingly secretive about his findings. In 1684, Hooke and Newton once again are at odds when Newton presents Principia, which contains many findings Hooke claims are based on his own research. Although evidence suggests otherwise, Newton denies any prior knowledge of Hooke's findings, and when the Principia is finally published in 1687, there are no acknowledgments to Hooke contained therein. Despite his ongoing rivalry with Newton, Hooke continues to persevere in his research, and he invents a prototype for the hearing aid which he calls the "otocousticon", and the universal joint. He also presents his theories on the basic design for a telegraphy system, and also his own theories on evolution, based on his studies of fossils. In 1687, Hooke suffers the untimely loss of his niece and live-in relative Grace (with whom he was enamored). The grief brought on by the tragedy has adverse effects on Hooke's already fragile health, and his health declines from this point on. In 1691, Hooke take the oath as "Doctor of Physic at Doctors' Commons", a seat created for him by Archbishop John Tillotson of Canterbury. One of Hooke's last lectures to the Royal Society is presented in 1693, when he explains Ovid's Metamorphoses. Three years later, Hooke's health is in such a bad state that he can no longer continue speaking or conducting experiments. The Royal Society tries to sue him for not being able to continue in the work he is paid for, but judgment is made in Hooke's favor. Hooke's last invention, a Marine Telescope, is presented to the Royal Society by Sir Edmund Halley in 1700. Two years later, Hooke goes blind from diabetes, and also suffers from cardiovascular troubles, amongst other ailments. On March 3, 1703, at the age of 68, Robert Hooke dies at Gresham College. All the Fellows of the Royal Society attend his funeral. Important note:
Robert
Hooke Tercentenary Conference, London |
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