Christiaan Huygens was born in The Hague, Netherlands, to Constantijn Huygens, a diplomat and advisor to the House of Orange, and Suzanna van Baerle. Growing up in a privileged and intellectually stimulating environment, he received an excellent education, demonstrating early aptitude in mathematics and drawing, benefiting from interactions with visiting intellectuals and his father's encouragement.

Huygens began his formal education at Leiden University, where he studied law and mathematics. Though initially focusing on law to satisfy his father's wishes, his passion for mathematics, particularly geometry, quickly became evident. He began corresponding with mathematicians like Marin Mersenne, demonstrating his early mathematical talent.

Huygens continued his legal and mathematical studies at the College of Orange in Breda. During this time, he continued to develop his mathematical skills, moving beyond basic geometry. While at Breda, Huygens expanded his network with several important figures, further helping to establish himself in the scientific community. He began formulating early ideas on probability and optics.

Using a telescope he designed and built himself, Huygens discovered Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. This was a significant astronomical discovery that expanded understanding of the Solar System and established Huygens as a prominent astronomer. His observations also led him to a new theory about Saturn.

Huygens invented the pendulum clock, a revolutionary invention that vastly improved timekeeping accuracy compared to previous mechanisms. He mathematically analyzed the motion of the pendulum and applied his findings to clock construction. This invention was crucial for navigation, scientific experiments, and everyday life, and it significantly improved the usefulness of clocks.

Huygens published "Systema Saturnium", in which he correctly described the true shape of Saturn's rings. He correctly concluded that Saturn was surrounded by a thin, flat ring that was not attached to the planet itself. This publication made the scientific case for his view that Saturn was surrounded by rings, and not, as was previously believed, two solid objects.

Huygens was invited to become a founding member of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, by Louis XIV. He played a significant role in establishing the Academy's scientific agenda and contributed greatly to the advancement of science in France. He dedicated his work to the academy, where his work was greatly respected.

Huygens published "Horologium Oscillatorium", a groundbreaking treatise on mechanics and the theory of pendulums. This work laid the foundation for the branch of dynamics. It contained his analysis of the cycloidal pendulum, a more accurate design than the simple circular pendulum and developed the theory of evolutes and involutes in geometry, advancing scientific understanding of physics and mathematics.

Huygens developed the wave theory of light, which proposed that light propagates as waves rather than particles. He articulated this theory in "Traité de la Lumière" (Treatise on Light). The wave theory provided explanations for reflection, refraction, and diffraction, phenomena that were difficult to explain with the particle theory. Though not immediately accepted, the wave theory later became a cornerstone of modern physics and the field of optics.

Huygens traveled to England, meeting with Isaac Newton and other prominent scientists of the Royal Society. While he admired Newton's mathematical prowess, he remained skeptical of Newton's theory of universal gravitation and held firmly to his own vortex theory of planetary motion, and never fully accepted Newton's ideas. This difference of opinion highlighted a significant debate about the fundamental nature of the universe during this period.

Christiaan Huygens died in The Hague after a period of illness. He was a leading scientist, and left behind a legacy of significant contributions to mathematics, physics, astronomy, and horology. His work had a profound impact on the Scientific Revolution and continues to influence scientific thinking today. He was never married, nor did he have any children.