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Robert Boyle

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Scientist

The Resume

    (January 25, 1627-December 30, 1691)
    Born in Lismore, Ireland
    Natural philosopher/chemist/physicist
    Founding member of the Royal Society (1660)
    Designed an improved vacuum pump (1660)
    Wrote 'The Sceptical Chymist' (1661)
    Namesake of Boyle's Law: For an ideal gas at a fixed temperature, volume and pressure are inversely proportional (as the pressure increases, the volume decreases)
    Considered one of the founders of modern chemistry

Why he might be annoying:

    He was born into wealth and privilege.
    He believed in alchemy and reported to the Royal Society that he was on the verge of transmuting mercury into gold (1676).
    Although Boyle's Law was named for him, it had first been proposed by Henry Power.
    During the last years of his life, he became increasingly reclusive and cut off communications with the Royal Society.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He learned Latin and Greek before age nine.
    He was one of the first scientists to advocate developing theories based on experimental results instead of philosophy and logic.
    Although Power first proposed Boyle's Law, Boyle was the one who proved it experimentally.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 45 Votes: 51.11% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 121 Votes: 58.68% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 270 Votes: 58.15% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 40 Votes: 52.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 32 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 326 Votes: 36.50% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying