The temperature scale proposed by Anders Celsius in 1742 initially set zero degrees as the boiling point of water and 100 degrees as the freezing point. A versatile polymath, he applied his mathematical and physical training to meteorology, astronomy, and geography, operating during an era when scientific inquiry increasingly relied on organized institutional support and international collaborative research expeditions.
Academic Foundations and Institutional Roles
Born in Uppsala in 1701, Celsius pursued a career following in the footsteps of his father, the astronomer Nils Celsius. After completing his education at Uppsala University, he joined the faculty in 1730, teaching there until 1732 and again from 1738 until his death. His administrative influence grew alongside his research, serving twice as the Rector of the University of Uppsala in 1739 and 1743. Beyond teaching, he actively shaped the scientific landscape by proposing the name for the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1739 and acting as secretary for the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala from 1725.
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Celsius engaged in extensive travel between 1732 and 1737, visiting major observatories across Germany, Italy, and France. His work with the French Academy of Sciences proved pivotal in 1736 when he joined a meridian-measuring expedition to Lapland. Led by Pierre Louis Maupertuis, this project provided empirical evidence supporting Isaac Newton’s theory that the Earth is an ellipsoid flattened at the poles. Building on this international stature, he successfully lobbied Swedish authorities for resources to establish the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, which he equipped with modern instruments collected during his travels.
Contributions to Astronomy and Physics
His research interests spanned a wide array of phenomena, including the documentation of over 300 stars using a photometric system he developed. Celsius maintained a rigorous focus on the aurora borealis, publishing a collection of 316 observations in 1733 and becoming the first scientist to identify a link between auroral activity and fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field. While he correctly observed the rising of Scandinavian land levels relative to sea level, he misidentified the cause, attributing the change to water evaporation rather than geological uplift. He held membership in several prestigious bodies, including the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, before his death from tuberculosis in 1744.
Fast facts
- Born: 1701, Uppsala, Sweden
- Died: 1744, Uppsala Cathedral Assembly
- Education: Uppsala University
- Fellow of the Royal Society: 1736
- Positions: Rector of the University of Uppsala, 1739 and 1743
- Key Invention: Celsius temperature scale
- Burial site: Old Uppsala Church
Questions readers ask
Did Anders Celsius invent the temperature scale we use today?
He proposed the centigrade scale in 1742, but his original design was inverted. Carl Linnaeus reversed the scale in 1745 after Celsius had died.
What was his primary profession?
While he was a multifaceted scientist who worked in physics, chemistry, and meteorology, his primary career was as a professor of astronomy at Uppsala University.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal Society — 1736
- Notable work: Celsius temperature scale
- Held posts at French Academy of Sciences and Uppsala University
- Educated at Uppsala University
- Fields of research: astronomy
