British physicist John Tyndall dedicated much of his career to establishing the scientist as a cultural authority. His campaign to free science from the restraints of theology caused a national uproar, and in his popular books and lectures he promoted scientific education for all classes.

Though he was often labeled a materialist, religion played a large role in Tyndall’s vision of science, which drew on Carlyle and Emerson as well as his mentor Michael Faraday. Tyndall’s ideas influenced the development of modern science, and in his efforts to create an authoritative role for scientists in society, he played a pivotal role in Victorian history.

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