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He was sickly, he stuttered, he was tremendously awkward in social situations, and he spent his weekends in a bizarre quest to turn iron into gold — yet almost 300 years after his death, Newton remains one of the most influential thinkers in history. In a scientific career spanning more than 60 years, Newton revolutionized almost every field of science he touched.

Newton’s innovations have filled volumes. But here’s a quick glance at our top picks.

• The Three Laws of Motion: First published when Newton was 43, the three laws remain the cornerstone of modern physics.
• The Modern Coin: You know those ridges on the edge of a U.S. quarter? Those are milled edges, a feature introduced by Newton on English coins to prevent clipping.

Full list at HowStuffWorks.com.

Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.