Scientist

A scientist is a person who <a href="/facts/Scientific_method/182j8RWE">researches</a> to advance knowledge in an <a href="/facts/Branches_of_science/tKykGyUj">area</a> of the <a href="/facts/Natural_science/8hg81Q2p">natural sciences</a>.
In <a href="/facts/Classical_antiquity/JBq8vEX9">classical antiquity</a>, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, <a href="/facts/Philosopher/Hyvzc54m">philosophers</a> engaged in the philosophical study of nature called <a href="/facts/Natural_philosophy/CUAsDWdk">natural philosophy</a>, a precursor of <a href="/facts/Natural_science/8hg81Q2p">natural science</a>. Though <a href="/facts/Thales/zLoJUcTa">Thales</a> (c. 624–545 BC) was arguably the first scientist for describing how cosmic events may be seen as natural, not necessarily caused by gods, it was not until the <a href="/facts/19th_century_in_science/FKVR4Qmn">19th century</a> that the term scientist came into regular use after it was coined by the <a href="/facts/Theologian/N71Fyw2M">theologian</a>, <a href="/facts/Philosopher/Hyvzc54m">philosopher</a>, and historian of science <a href="/facts/William_Whewell/t2urFwd2">William Whewell</a> in 1833.

Scientist open-in-new

Scientist