Scientists and their Thought Weapons

Here are some of them with what they created:

Archimedes
His analysis of why boats float is breathtaking in its appeal to logic. Also,
his presentation of the Law of the Levers is an outstanding example of
clear and precise thinking.

Godel:
He gave the world the incompleteness proof. That is, there are some systems in which
statements
are true, but which cannot be proved. This is an artifact of the mathematical principles
that man developed. And, the results were so bizarre that it took genius just to
recognize the question. Godel not only formulated the question, he provided a
convincing explanation.

Galois:
He gave us a new way at looking at the solvability of equations. Specifically, he showed
that polynomials of degree 5 or greater cannot be solved in radicals. The most
puzzling thing about this is why 5? What's so special about 5?

Isaac Newton
Discovery that the force that attracts an apple to the ground is the same one that causes planets to
orbit the sun. This observation is not obvious - one is celestial while the other is a common everyday
occurrence.

Gelfand:
Fine Russian Mathematician. His books are a delight to read. He looks at simple problems
but for which simple approaches will not work.

Galileo
Discovery that different objects thrown from the same height will reach the ground at the same time.
This observation is highly counter-intuitive. Most poeple would reason that the heavier object falls to
the ground earlier. This observation is incorrect. The heavier object falls with greater force, but
doesn't fall earlier.
Albert Einstein
Discovery that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
Again, most people would equate their everyday experience about jumping off
moving trains and conclude that a light beam emitted from a rocket would travel faster
than one emitted from the ground. But, Einstein observed that light is an
electromagnetic phenomena - a moving electric field causes a moving magnetic field
which in turn causes a moving electric field. This process is self-sustaining and
doesn't need any outside help (like a moving train) to keep it going.