Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695), was a Dutch mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, discovered the polarization of light, and investigated and developed the wave theory of light. He coined the word ether for the medium in which light waves were then assumed to travel. Huygens developed an improved method of grinding telescope lenses in 1655. He built the first powerful telescopes, which made possible his discovery of a satellite and ring of Saturn. He was the first to use a pendulum to regulate a clock. He also invented the micrometer, an instrument used to measure extremely small distances.
Huygens was born at The Hague, The Netherlands. He studied law and mathematics at Leiden. In 1663, he became a member of The Royal Society, England's oldest scientific society. From 1666 to 1681, Huygens worked in París at the invitation of Ring Louis XIV of France.
