istoryworld
Events relating to greek science
Thales of Miletus, traditionally the first philosopher, is credited with the prediction of a solar eclipse
The Greeks develop the Babylonian theme of the zodiac, naming it the zodiakos kyklos or circle of animals
The Greek mathematician Pythagoras establishes himself, along with his followers, in southern Italy
Hecateus, a geographer in Miletus, produces a map showing the Greek idea of the known world
The Greeks are intrigued by the iron-attracting property of a mineral which they find in the district of Magnesia
The Greeks observe the strange effect of electricity, seen when amber (known to them as electron) is rubbed
Empedocles states that all matter is made up of four elemental substances - earth, fire, air and water
The followers of Pythagoras maintain that the earth revolves on its own axis and moves in an orbit
The Greek philosopher Democritus declares that matter is composed of indivisible and indestructible atoms
Hippocrates, on the Greek island of Kos, founds an influential school of medicine
A Greek text, attributed to Polybus, argues that the human body is composed of four humours
Eudoxus of Cnidus proposes the concept of transparent spheres supporting the bodies visible in the heavens
Aristotle tackles wide-ranging subjects on a systematic basis, leaving to his successors an encyclopedia of contemporary thought
The Greek author Theophrastus writes On the History of Plants, the earliest surviving work on botany
Epicurus postulates a universe of indestructible atoms in which man himself is responsible for achieving a balanced life
On the small Greek island of Samos an astronomer, Aristarchus, comes to the startling conclusion that the earth is in orbit round the sun
Archimedes (it is said) leaps out of his bath shouting eureka ('I have found it') when he perceives how to test for relative density
The Greek mathematician Eratosthenes calculates the circumference of the world with the help of shadows and camels
The Greek astronomer Hipparchus is credited with the invention of the astrolabe, measuring the angle of sun or star above the horizon
The Greek astronomer Hipparchus, mapping the stars, observes but cannot explain the precession of the equinoxes
Hipparchus proposes a grid of 360° of latitude and longitude for mapmaking
Hipparchus completes the first scientific star catalogue, mapping some 850 stars