May 3

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  1764: Venetian polymath and art collector Francesco Algarotti dies. Algarotti's broad knowledge included expertise in Newtonianism, architecture, and music; and he was a friend of most of the leading authors of his times. Pic.

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  1779: Mathematician, physicist, and astronomer John Winthrop dies. He was one of the foremost men of science in America during the 18th century.

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  1860: Mathematician and physicist Vito Volterra born. He will be one of the founders of functional analysis, making contributions to mathematical biology and integral equations.

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  1905: Mathematician and academic Werner Fenchel born. He will establish the basic results of convex analysis and nonlinear optimization theory which will, in time, serve as the foundation for nonlinear programming.

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  1928: Mathematician Jacques-Louis Lions born. He will make contributions to the theory of partial differential equations and to stochastic control.