Isaac Newton was born prematurely on Christmas Day (according to the Julian calendar, which was in use in England at the time) in the small manor house of Woolsthorpe, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. His father, also named Isaac Newton, had died three months earlier. He was a small and frail baby, not expected to survive. His early life was marked by the absence of his father and the subsequent remarriage of his mother, Hannah Ayscough, to a wealthy clergyman, Barnabas Smith, when Newton was just three years old, and then being left in the care of his grandmother Margery Ayscough. This period of his life likely contributed to a sense of insecurity and a deep independent nature.

Newton enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge, as a subsizar, a student who performed menial tasks to pay for his education. Initially, he followed the traditional curriculum, studying Aristotle, but he soon became captivated by the works of modern philosophers and scientists like René Descartes, Galileo Galilei, and Nicolaus Copernicus. He immersed himself in their ideas, laying the groundwork for his own revolutionary contributions.

During the Great Plague of London, Cambridge University closed, forcing Newton to return to Woolsthorpe. This period of isolation proved to be incredibly productive. He began his groundbreaking work on calculus, developed his theories on optics, and formulated his law of universal gravitation. It was during this time that he supposedly witnessed the famous apple falling from a tree, sparking his thoughts about gravity. This "year of wonders" marked the genesis of many of his most important ideas.

At the young age of 26, Newton was appointed the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, succeeding Isaac Barrow. This prestigious position provided him with a platform to further develop and disseminate his mathematical and scientific ideas. He held this professorship for nearly three decades, shaping the intellectual landscape of Cambridge.

Newton's magnum opus, "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), was published. This monumental work laid out his laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, revolutionizing our understanding of the physical world. It provided a unified framework for explaining a wide range of phenomena, from the motion of planets to the tides on Earth. The "Principia" is widely regarded as one of the most important scientific books ever written.

Newton left Cambridge and accepted the position of Warden of the Royal Mint, a government agency responsible for overseeing the production of currency. He took his duties seriously, tackling the problem of counterfeiting and reforming the coinage system. He was promoted to Master of the Mint in 1699, a position he held until his death. This role demonstrated Newton's administrative abilities and his engagement with practical matters beyond theoretical science.

Newton was elected President of the Royal Society, a prestigious scientific organization. He held this position for over two decades, exerting considerable influence on the scientific community. His tenure was marked by both scientific advancements and personal controversies, including a bitter dispute with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz over the invention of calculus. His leadership helped consolidate the Royal Society's role as a leading center for scientific inquiry.

Newton published "Opticks", detailing his experiments with light and color. The book demonstrated that white light is composed of all the colors of the spectrum and explored the phenomena of diffraction and refraction. "Opticks" established Newton as a leading figure in the field of optics and further solidified his scientific reputation. It also reflected his preference for experimental observation as a crucial element of scientific inquiry.

Sir Isaac Newton died in London on March 31, 1727, and was buried with great honor in Westminster Abbey. His death marked the end of an era. He left behind a legacy of scientific achievement that continues to inspire and influence scientists and thinkers to this day. His work transformed our understanding of the universe and laid the foundation for much of modern science.