Leonhard Euler (1707–1783) was the most prolific mathematician in history, making foundational contributions to calculus, graph theory, number theory, mechanics, and optics. This timeline covers his life, major publications, and key discoveries from his birth in Basel to his death in St. Petersburg.
Leonhard Euler is born in Basel, Switzerland, to a Calvinist minister. He shows early mathematical talent, studying under Johann Bernoulli.
At age 13, Euler enrolls at the University of Basel to study philosophy and theology, but quickly shifts to mathematics under Johann Bernoulli.
Euler earns a Master's degree in philosophy for a comparative work on Descartes and Newton. He begins focusing on mathematics, publishing his first paper in 1726.
Euler publishes his first scientific paper, 'De Sono', on the propagation of sound. He wins a prize from the French Academy for his work on masts of ships.
Euler accepts a position at the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences, initially in the medical and physiology departments, later moving to mathematics.
Euler is appointed professor of physics at the St. Petersburg Academy. He continues his work in mathematics and mechanics, publishing on series and logarithms.
Euler succeeds Daniel Bernoulli as senior chair of mathematics at the St. Petersburg Academy, a position he holds for several years.
Euler marries Katharina Gsell, daughter of a painter. They have 13 children, though only five survive infancy.
Euler contracts a fever that severely damages his right eye, leading to near blindness in that eye. He continues his mathematical work undeterred.
Euler publishes 'Mechanica' in two volumes, introducing analytic methods to mechanics and pioneering the use of calculus in physics. )
Euler visits Basel but returns to Russia after failing to secure a position in Switzerland. He continues prolific output in St. Petersburg.
King Frederick the Great of Prussia invites Euler to join the Berlin Academy. Euler accepts but delays his move due to political conditions.
Euler relocates to Berlin to serve at the Prussian Academy of Sciences. He produces a vast amount of work, including on calculus of variations.
Euler publishes 'Methodus inveniendi lineas curvas', a landmark work on the calculus of variations that introduces the Euler–Lagrange equation.
Euler publishes works on lunar theory (improving navigation) and on electricity, showing his interdisciplinary range.
Euler publishes 'Introductio in analysin infinitorum', a foundational textbook on analysis that introduces Euler's formula e^(iθ) = cosθ + i sinθ and Euler's identity.
Euler publishes 'Scientia Navalis', a two-volume work on shipbuilding and hydrodynamics, writing the first comprehensive theory of ship stability.
Euler publishes his solution to the Seven Bridges of Königsberg problem, laying the foundation for graph theory and topology.
Euler wins the French Academy prize for a lunar theory that aids navigation. He also works on planetary perturbation and comet orbits.
Euler is elected as a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences, reflecting his international renown.
Euler publishes 'Institutiones calculi differentialis', a comprehensive text on differential calculus that codifies notation and methods.
During the Seven Years' War, Euler's farm near Berlin is looted by Russian troops. He remains productive, working on ballistics and ship design.
Euler publishes on optics and telescope design, including work on achromatic lenses, contributing to the improvement of refracting telescopes.
Euler publishes 'Theoria motus corporum solidorum seu rigidorum', a landmark work on the mechanics of rigid bodies, introducing Euler angles.
Euler suffers failure of his left eye, becoming completely blind. Despite this, he continues to produce mathematics at an astonishing rate through dictation.
Euler leaves Berlin after tensions with Frederick the Great and returns to the St. Petersburg Academy, where he remains for the rest of his life.
Euler publishes 'Letters to a German Princess', a series of popular science letters explaining physics and philosophy to a lay audience.
Euler publishes 'Vollständige Anleitung zur Algebra', a comprehensive algebra textbook that remains influential for centuries.
Euler publishes his work on pentagonal numbers, a key result in number theory that later influences partition theory and the theory of modular forms.
Euler develops the Euler–Lagrange equation for the calculus of variations, a fundamental tool in physics and optimization.
Euler publishes works on ordinary and partial differential equations, including studies of the Euler–Cauchy equation and the beta and gamma functions.
Euler contributes to the theory of continued fractions and demonstrates that e is irrational, advancing understanding of transcendental numbers.
Euler continues to publish prolifically on mechanics, including work on the theory of motion of fluids and the foundations of continuum mechanics.
Euler studies the motion of comets and the stability of Saturn's rings, applying his mechanics and gravitational theory.
Euler works on integrals and summation formulas, consolidating the Euler–Maclaurin formula for approximating sums with integrals.
Euler dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in St. Petersburg at age 76. He had continued working until the last day, leaving over 800 publications.