By June 1665, the plague was burning through England. A young University of Cambridge student, Isaac Newton, had left the school and returned to his family farm at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire after the university closed. Here, he lived for two years in near isolation and produced the greatest creative output of his life.

It’s easy to think of Newton only as a lonely and antisocial genius sitting at a desk, unraveling the mysteries of the universe. Yet there is so much more. In his lifetime, Newton vigorously conducted experiments, constructed models, conceived of the theory of gravity, and built the first usable reflecting telescope. He created a new form of mathematics, reformed the currency of England while Master of the Mint, and pursued counterfeiters to their deaths on the scaffold.

He also studied the forbidden art of alchemy. Newton was a deeply religious man, but a secret nonconformer to the Church of England. He was cantankerous, paranoid, and feared that his hard work would be stolen by others.