Pythagoras of Samos — Greek mathematician
Published on November 25, 2025
Pythagoras (c. 570–495 BCE) was an ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher best known for the Pythagorean theorem, a foundational concept in geometry. He founded a school in Croton that united mathematics, music, and astronomy under one idea: numbers describe the structure of the universe. This approach shaped the history of mathematics, music theory, and early scientific reasoning, setting the stage for centuries of discovery.
Key Contributions
- Defined the Pythagorean theorem, a cornerstone of geometry
- Linked musical harmony to numerical ratios
- Advanced that universe follows mathematical laws
Why it matters now:
His vision of a world built on patterns and proportion lives on in modern science and technology. From genetic sequencing to AI algorithms, researchers use patterns, ratios, and symmetry to find structure in complex data. His belief that numbers reveal truth underpins today’s fields of computational biology, data analysis, and theoretical physics.