Joseph Fourier was born on 21 March 1768 in Auxerre. A French mathematician and physicist from Auxerre, Fourier took part in Napoleon's expedition to Egypt as a scientific adviser and later served as prefect of the department of Isère. His book The Analytical Theory of Heat, published in 1822, introduced the method of representing functions as sums of sines and cosines, now called Fourier series, and the Fourier transform that grew from it. These tools are fundamental to the analysis of waves, signals and heat conduction, and underpin modern signal processing. He was also among the first to describe how the atmosphere could warm the Earth, an early insight into the greenhouse effect. He became permanent secretary of the French Academy of Sciences.
Before and after
- 11 July 1767Birth of John Quincy Adams
- from 1768 to 1774Sixth Russo-Turkish War
- 1768Construction of Royal Academy of Arts
- 12 February 1768Birth of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
- 21 March 1768Birth of Joseph Fourier
- 1769Alcalá Gate
- 5 January 1769James Watt patents the separate condenser
- 1 May 1769Birth of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- 15 August 1769Birth of Napoleon
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The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.