William Gilbert, also known as Gilberd, was an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher. He passionately rejected both the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy and the Scholastic method of university teaching. He is remembered today largely for his book De Magnete.

What did William Gilbert discover?

Lived 1544 – 1603.

A forceful advocate of the power of the scientific experiment, Gilbert discovered that our planet has two magnetic poles; he defined these poles correctly and established that the earth behaves like a giant magnet.

What is William Gilbert known for?

William Gilbert was an English physician and natural philosopher who wrote a six-volume treatise that compiled all of the information regarding magnetism and electricity known at the time.