Ms. Jardine talked about her book The Curious Life of Robert Hooke: The Man Who Measured London, published by HarperCollins. It is a biography of scientist, inventor, architect, surveyor, and engineer Robert Hooke. Hooke was appointed London’s Chief Surveyor after the Great Fire of London (1666) and he collaborated with his friend Christopher Wren in rebuilding the city. He was a rival of Isaac Newton and challenged Newton, saying he -- not Newton -- was the first to discover the inverse-square law of gravitational attraction. The presentation included slides and afterwards Ms. Jardine ansered questions from members of the audience.

Lisa Jardine is a professor of renaissance studies at Queen Mary College, University of London.