His early life Robert Hooke was born on 18 July 1635 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England. His father, John Hooke, was a clergyman. As a child Hooke contracted smallpox, from which he survived, only to be disfigured and scarred. During his childhood, Robert never received a regular school education due to his illness and weakness. On the other hand he had an amazing natural curiosity, which led to the development of his mind through self-learning. When Robert was only thirteen, his father committed suicide by hanging himself. All Robert had left was £40. After his father's death, Hooke was sent to London as an orphan, where he studied with Peter Lely, an artist of the time. He soon realized that he would have to spend his inheritance attending Westminster School, where he lodged with Dr. Richard Rusby. Robert had a great interest in mechanical objects and was greatly encouraged by Dr. Busby. In his first week with Dr. Busby, Hooke was able to read many of Euclid's geometry books. He was soon allowed unsupervised access to Dr. Busby's library. When Robert turned eighteen he went ahead and attended Oxford, where he earned his master's degree soon after. Once he gained the patronage and guidance of John Wilkins, the director of Wadham College, he was on his way to becoming one of the greatest inventors, microscopists, physicists, surveyors, astronomers, biologists and artists. During Robert Hooke's studies at Oxford, he was among many great figures, such as; Thomas Willis, Seth Ward, Robert Boyle, John Wilkins, John Wallis, Christopher Wren and William Petty. Because he was among some of the greatest English scientists of the time, he acquired the ability to conceptualize the theory of gravity and its inverse square effect. the light was in fact waves and not particles. Isaac Newton believed that light was made up of particles. Discovered a new planet, Uranus, (reported January 22, 1673)... 100 years before it was accidentally rediscovered in 1781. He discovered that sound could travel along a wire and around corners. Hooke discovered and demonstrated that the comet seen in 1665 was the same one seen in 1618, Haley's Comet. He designed the first equatorial quadrant which facilitated astronomical observations. First to observe and record the existence of sunspots. He proposed the first concepts of evolution in rudimentary form. Hooke was Britain's first professional experimental scientist. He invented the first arithmetic machine in the Western world. He invented a compressed air gun. Above all he was a good guy who helped shape what science is today.