If you’ve ever wondered who the smartest person is, some point to none other than Isaac Newton because of these reasons. And it’s not for nothing, thanks to him we understand the dynamics of the motion of bodies, the refraction of light, and we are able to understand complex processes through differential and integral calculus.
But that’s not all that was on the mind of the English genius, it seems that science did not reach him to understand the complex reality and he also delved into paths more inclined towards theology and even it is known that he was a man deeply immersed in alchemy. It was precisely in these last two areas where he formed his own ideas about the end of the world, which he dated for 2060.
Isaac Newton is well known as the father of physics and his contributions laid the foundation for modern science in the 17th century. But little is said about the less scientific interests of the English mathematician, who was also strongly linked to the interpretation of the Bible from a Protestant perspective and spent hours studying alchemy, the hidden art that sought the transformation of metals into gold.
Under these two influences, Newton attempted to predict the end of the world. The mathematician concluded in the early 18th century that the end of the world would occur in the year 2060, or at least that is what can be read in a letter written in 1740 and not intended for public consumption. The document also includes mathematical calculations that, according to experts, coincide with the typography of his other works.
In the document that has been confirmed to have been written by Isaac Newton, the mathematician predicts that the end of the world would be 1,260 years after the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire, which was founded in 800 AD and therefore the date of the end of the world according to Newton would be in 2060.
According to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Newton would have evaluated biblical verses in the Book of Daniel and the Apocalypse to make his prediction. “It may end later, but I see no reason for it to end earlier,” wrote the mathematician in the early 18th century in the document preserved in the archives of the National Library of Israel since 1969.
The well-preserved manuscript in which Newton dates the end of the world is part of a series of unpublished documents in which the genius dealt with less mathematical topics and more related to the occult arts at that time. They address areas such as alchemy, ancient history, biblical themes, and even apocalyptic prophecies.
Isaac Newton’s mind was so intricate that apparently he did not limit himself to a single perspective, but rather ventured into topics that today seem to be at odds with science. However, it is very likely that this was the result of his genius that saw opportunities for knowledge everywhere. It is well known that great thinkers like Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan have also spoken in a spiritual sense.
Newton was convinced that important wisdom was hidden in biblical texts and for this reason, he dedicated himself to interpreting the Book of Daniel, which speaks of apocalyptic visions focused on political issues.
The series of manuscripts on alchemy and theology written by Isaac Newton were auctioned in London in 1963. Later, the economist John Maynard Keynes donated much of them to King’s College, Cambridge, while orientalist Abraham Shalon Yahuda donated another part to the newly founded State of Israel. Since then, the valuable material has been preserved in the National and University Jewish Library of Jerusalem.
Story originally written in Spanish by Alejandra Martínez in Ecoosfera.