Born: 1550 in Merchiston tower,

Edinburgh
Died: April 4, 1617 (at age 66 or 67)
in Edinburgh
Nationality: Scottish
Famous for: Discovering logathrims

John Napier was a

Scottish mathematician who found
lasting fame as the inventor of
logarithms. He also invented at
least one war weapon. His position
as a member of the Scottish nobility
allowed him to more spend time on
scientific research than would likely
have been possible for a man of a
humbler background. Napier also
devised a specialized form of
abacus for multiplication and
division, which bears the name
Napiers Bones to this day.