Blaise Pascal
1623–1662 · French · Scientific Revolution
Known for: Invented the mechanical calculator, founded probability theory, and contributed to hydraulics
Blaise Pascal was a prodigy who published a treatise on conic sections at 16, invented the Pascaline (mechanical calculator) at 19, and founded probability theory before turning 30. He proved the existence of vacuum and established Pascal's Law of fluid pressure.
After a mystical religious experience in 1654, he devoted himself to theology and philosophy, producing the Pensees—one of the great works of French literature. He died at 39, having crammed several lifetimes of achievement into one tragically short existence.
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