The foundations were laid and further developed throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Several famous figures made important contributions to this process, among them Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz and Leonhard Euler. However, this exhibition is based on another important scientific figure who is less well known, namely the French mathematician Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749). Among other things, she contributed to clarifying theories about force and movement, and this would prove to be decisive for further scientific works that led to the natural scientific meaning of "energy" in our time.In addition to synthesizing ideas from both Newton and Leibniz into an improved theory, she also translated Newton's "Principia" from English to French. Not only did she translate in the linguistic sense, she also translated the mathematics so that it became more accessible to new generations of researchers.
The exhibition shows Émilie du Châtelet's "Institutions de Physique" and other writings that were central to the scientific discourse against energy, as we understand it today.
We will also show the physical experiment "Gravesandes kuler". Émilie de Châtelet was in the audience when Dutch physicist William Gravesande demonstrated the experiment to the public for the very first time.
Please note that photos will be taken during the festival on the 22nd and 23rd of September. The images will only be used for communication and information related to the festival going forward.