François Arago

French mathematician, physicist, astronomer and politician (1786-1853)

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Lived 1786–1853, aged 67France

France AcademicsAcademic

Wikipedia
62 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1786–1853
Aged 67
Awards
14
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-08

A mathematician who measured the speed of light, mapped the stars, and then walked into parliament — Arago's attention comes from the rare combination: rigorous science and radical politics, both at once.

Biography

About

Born 26 February 1786, François Arago came up through mathematics, physics, and astronomy at a time when those fields were being rebuilt from first principles. He worked on light, magnetism, and celestial mechanics — problems that required new instruments and new thinking. But he also backed the Carbonari revolutionaries and joined the Freemasons, threading political defiance through a scientific career. By midlife he'd moved into elected office, carrying both identities into the chamber. He died 2 October 1853, having lived the contradiction: a man who trusted measurement and also trusted uph…

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In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from François Arago

François Arago

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I was often humiliated to see men disputing for a piece of bread, just as animals might have done.

— "The History of My Youth", p. 55.

François Arago

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On certain occasions, the eyes of the mind can supply the want of the most powerful telescopes, and lead to astronomical discoveries of the highest importance.

— Laplace, p. 347.

François Arago

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The calculus of probabilities, when confined within just limits, ought to interest, in an equal degree, the mathematician, the experimentalist, and the statesman.

— Laplace, p. 364.

François Arago

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