Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782) was a Swiss mathematician and physicist, one of several prominent mathematicians of the
Bernoulli family from Basel. He is particularly remembered for his applications of mathematics to mechanics, especially
fluid mechanics, and for his pioneering work in
probability and
statistics. His name is commemorated in
Bernoulli's principle, a particular example of the
conservation of energy, and which describes the mathematics of the mechanism underlying the operation of two important technologies of the 20th century: the
carburetor and the airplane
wing. This
oil-on-canvas portrait of Bernoulli, painted by an unknown artist, now hangs in the
Basel Historical Museum.Painting credit: unknown