William Gilbert

William Gilbert was a pioneering figure in the study of magnetism and earth sciences during the late 16th century. He is best known for his work "De Magnete," where he explored the Earth's magnetic field and proposed that the Earth itself acts like a giant magnet. His insights laid foundational concepts for later scientific advancements, including seismology. While not directly studying earthquakes, his principles of geomagnetism contributed to the understanding of the Earth's structure and behavior, which are essential for interpreting seismic activity and understanding how waves travel through the Earth during quakes.