Newton and the Falling Apple

by Prof. Kirthi Tennakone

Email:ktenna@yahoo.co.uk

Can someone claim an extraordinary discovery instantly on exclusive basis of an incidental happening? An archetypal example is the legend that Isaac Newton arrived at the theory of gravitation after a falling apple bonked him on the head. As succinctly pointed in The Island, editorial “Docs, politicians and shamans” 18 December 2020; the ignorant tends to think Newton was an ordinary person who had that epoch-making aha moment solely because of the shock of the apple. History tells breakthroughs have not happened that way.

There is no evidence to the effect that an idea leading to a major discovery; a theory, cure for a disease, transformative invention or any other finding had originated abruptly in the mind of a discoverer wholly as a result of an extraneous real-world event. Similarly, there exists no convincing proof that that telepathic invention of paranormal agents has provided correct disclosures or valid solutions to real problems.

The history of science points to the conclusion that the anecdote of the falling apple and Isaac Newton has been decorated by story-tellers and perhaps by Newton himself. Newton arrived at the theory of gravitation after years of unprecedented deep contemplation and hard work.

Isaac Newton and Theory of Gravitation

Isaac Newton born prematurely on Christmas day in 1642 was a physically weak child. His father died a few months earlier, when the widowed mother got married again, his grandmother adopted him. He was sent to a grammar school for few years and schooling discontinued to coach him as a farmer. Newton hated farming, quarreled with his stepfather devoting time to read and make mechanical gadgetries. His schoolmaster advised his guardians to send the boy to school again, saying he is talented. Newton ranked topmost in class, has said, he worked hard to revenge, the classmates who bullied him.

Newton was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1661. His mentor there was Isaac Barrow – the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. Barrow introduced the frontiers of mathematics at the time to Newton, knowing his capability. In 1665, when the College was closed because of the plague, Newton returned to his village home in Lancashire, leisurely continuing studies and exploring almost all contemporary problems in mathematics and physics.

Newton returned to Cambridge in 1666 and continued to interact with Barrow. In 1669 Barrow tendered his resignation in favor of his student, recommending Newton to the Chair he occupied – an incident unheard in the history of academia.

Astronomer Edmond Halley visits Cambridge to meet Newton: The most consequential discussion in world’s history

Discussions, whether secretive or not often lead to consequence of utmost importance. Wars, revolutions, declarations of peace and political upheavals would have been catalyzed that way.

A discourse between two individuals that changed the world forever was the meeting of the astronomer Edmond Halley and Isaac Newton in Cambridge in 1684. That discussion resulted in the publication of Principia Mathematica-the monumental work of Newton which transformed the world.

Newton, holding a prestigious chair in Cambridg, gained acclaim as an extraordinarily clever physicist and mathematician. Nevertheless, he feared the criticism of senior peers. Notably, the polymath genius Robert Hooke and did not publish things that might lead to controversy. Hooke, contemporaneously working on theory of gravitation, wrote to Newton in 1679, expressing his views on the subject. Newton never replied! Later as an influential office-bearer of the Royal Society, Hook prompted the astronomer Edmund Halley to consult Newton.

Edmond Halley keen to understand why the comet subsequently named after him reappeared every 75 years, visited Cambridge and met Newton in August 1684. Newton explained he had already solved the problem of planetary motion. According to his theory of gravitation, objects move around the sun in elliptic orbits. Halley persuaded Newton to publish his work, agreeing to meet the cost of printing.

The first edition of Newton’s Principia was launched in 1687, awakening the whole world – the birth of the age reason.

Robert Hooke reacted furiously, accusing Newton of plagiarism, referring to his 1679 communication. The acrimonious rivalry between Hooke and Newton which started in the late 1670s continued until former’s death 1703. Newton’s other major work ‘Opticks,’ which he postponed publication, because of an argument with Hooke at the Royal Societyin 1672 was sent to printers immediately after Hooke’s demise!

Newton’s arch-rival Robert Hooke wrote the Preface to Robert Knox’s Book on Sri Lanka

Unlike Newton, Robert Hooke had been a social being. He mixed with people of all ranks and wakes of life in coffee houses. Through persons encountered, Hooke got acquainted with Robert Knox, who had just returned to England after captivity in Sri Lanka and was inquisitive to learn his experience in Sri Lanka. Hooke exhibited Talipat leaves Knox carried to England at the Royal Society. He tested cannabis brought from Sri Lanka by Knox and gave a talk at the Royal Society in presence of the science stalwarts; Robert Boyle, Christopher Wren and Edmond Halley. He told society this intoxicating agent referred to as Cansa or Bangha in Ceylon; takes away memory and understanding for a time. Hook was probably first to examine psychoactive drugs scientifically.

Robert Hooke wrote the preface to the Robert Knox’s book “Historical Relations of the Island of Ceylon and the edited the text. In preface signed 1^st August 1681, discusses the virtues of publishing; and state “There are but few who, though they know much, can yet be persuaded they know anything worth communicating and because the things are common and well known to them, are apt to think them so to rest of mankind; this prejudice had done much mischief “. He also commented that some avoid communicating because of the fear to be in print, while others delay it. Presumably, what Hook attempts to insinuate is: had Newton published his work on gravitation much earlier; the bitter controversy with him would not have arisen.

Story of the falling apple

Newton, in any of his writings, has not mentioned that a falling apple hinted him the law of gravitation. The story of the apple surfaced in 1752, a quarter of a century after Newton’s death. According to a biography of Newton written by his close friend William Stukely in 1752; he had visited Newton in April 1726 to interview him. While having tea in the garden, Newton pointing to apple trees there, said that he fathomed the concept of gravitational attraction 60 years ago, noticing an apple detaching from a tree and falling. The authenticity of this story as written by William Stukely remains controversial. Later the story was made sensational by saying, the apple bonked on Newton’s head.

Apart from Newton’s work, the idea of gravitational attraction had been around as evident from the published work of Robert Hook. Strangely in the same year Newton was said to have been inspired by the falling apple, Hook in a communication to the Royal Society had stated that planetary bodies mutually attract each other via gravitation. Therefore, the decoration of the apple story could have been a gimmick to cement the standing that Newton was the first to consider gravity as attraction between two objects – not Hooke.

What Newton really did was far more challenging. He demonstrated mathematically that the force attracting the apple to the earth, also keep the moon revolving around the earth and planets around the sun. Even if Robert Hook had been the first to conceive the idea of gravitational attraction, the originality of the monumental work of Newton would not be blemished. Unfortunately, Newton failed to realize this, and when he became the President of the Royal Society he did everything possible to eclipse Hooke.

Newton feared criticism, but suppressed and attacked his adversaries. Oppositely, many feared Newton because of his unmatched intellect. Newton was elected to British Parliament honouring his most distinctive social status. He spoke only once. When he raised the hand, the dumbfounded house feared, what an issue this great man is going to raise. But Newton said; please close the adjoining window, chilly wind is blowing!

Many men and women have the potential of reaching the pinnacle of a genius. It is by study, dedication and desire to find the truth and not by unfounded declarations, exaggerations or ranks they strive to achieve.