Joseph Fourier

Name: Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier

Born: March 21, 1768, in Auxerre, Burgundy, Kingdom of France (now in Yonne, France)

Death: May 16, 1830 (Age: 62)

Computer-related contributions

• French mathematician and physicist best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their applications to problems of heat transfer and vibrations.
• The Fourier transform and Fourier's Law are also named in his honor. The FFT (fast Fourier transform) is a fundamental technology in compression of digital audio and video that made the streaming revolution possible. If you've ever listened to Spotify or watched Netflix, you have used a technology born from the mathematical discoveries of Fourier.
• Fourier is also generally credited with the discovery of the greenhouse effect.

Significant publications

• Théorie analytique de la chaleur (1822).
• Analyse des équations déterminées (1827).
• Mémoire d'analyse sur le mouvement de la chaleur dans les fluides (1833).