Israel Lyons facts for kids

Israel Lyons the Younger (born in 1739, died in 1775) was a super smart British scientist. He was amazing at two main things: mathematics (the study of numbers and shapes) and botany (the study of plants). He was born in Cambridge, England. His father was also named Israel Lyons.

From a young age, people thought Israel Lyons the Younger was a "prodigy." This means he was incredibly talented, especially in math. A kind man named Robert Smith, who was in charge of Trinity College, saw his talent. Mr. Smith decided to help Israel. He took Israel under his wing and even paid for him to attend college.

Israel Lyons: A Young Genius

Early Life and Amazing Talent

Even though Israel Lyons was very smart, he faced some challenges. Because his family was Jewish (from a group called Ashkenazi Jews), he wasn't allowed to become a full member of the University of Cambridge. But this didn't stop him from achieving great things.

When he was only 19 years old, he published a very important math book. It was called Treatise on Fluxions. "Fluxions" was an early way of doing calculus, a type of advanced math. A few years later, he also published a detailed study of all the plants growing around Cambridge. This showed how much he loved botany.

Big Achievements and Discoveries

Israel's fame grew. A student from University of Oxford named Joseph Banks was very impressed. Joseph Banks later became a famous explorer and scientist. He paid Israel Lyons to come to Oxford and give special lessons about plants.

Israel was also chosen by the "Astronomer Royal." This was the King's top astronomer in Britain. His job was to calculate important tables for the Nautical Almanac. This book helped sailors find their way using the stars and planets.

Later, Joseph Banks helped Israel get another exciting job. He became the astronomer for a special trip to the North Pole in 1773. This trip was led by Constantine Phipps, 2nd Baron Mulgrave. Israel's job was to study the stars and help navigate the ship in the icy waters.

A Short but Important Life

In March 1774, Israel Lyons married Phoebe Pearson. She was the daughter of Newman Pearson from a place called Over, in Cambridgeshire. They settled down in London.

Sadly, Israel Lyons died on May 1, 1775, when he was only 36 years old. He caught measles, a serious illness. At the time of his death, he was working on a huge project. He was preparing a complete collection of all the works by another famous scientist, Edmond Halley. This project was supported by the Royal Society, a very old and respected group of scientists.

Israel Lyons may have lived a short life, but he made many important contributions to both mathematics and the study of plants.

See also

• European and American voyages of scientific exploration