In the Middle Ages, one person who worked quietly and tirelessly at bringing together scientists and mathematicians from all across Western Europe was Marin Mersenne. I've put up his portrait at the left. I find him a great source of inspiration.
Father Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) was a French mathematician, philosopher, and theologian whose greatest contribution to the development and growth of mathematics was not the discovery of any particular result (though he did do a lot of work on the Mersenne numbers - more on that some other day) but rather his work in bringing together the leading mathematicians and scientists of his day into contact with one another.
He lived at a time when the tradition of publication of results had yet to be established, and when discoveries were jealously guarded, and he sought to establish links in the world of science and mathematics. So he maintained regular contact with individuals such as Rene Descartes, Girard Desargues, Pierre de Fermat, Blaise Pascal and Galileo.
It was said of him that "to inform Mersenne of a discovery meant to publish it throughout the whole of Europe".
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