Newton's apple tree

In June 2013, this tree, an offshoot of Sir Isaac Newton's famous apple tree from his birthplace Woolsthorp Manor, Lincolnshire, England, was planted at Ilmenau University of Technology. The tree is a gift from the National Physical Laboratory NPL in Teddington/UK, where a Newtonian apple tree descendant has stood since 1953. This was a tribute to the long-standing cooperation between the Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology and the NPL. The initiative came from Prof. Manske (IPMS) and Dr. Yacoot (NPL). The ceremonial handover took place in the presence of Dr. Yacoot and Dr. Treffers (NPL), our then rector Prof. Scharff and other university personalities. The image of the falling apple, which is said to have inspired Isaac Newton (1642-1726) to develop his theory of gravitation, is considered a metaphor by many. Today it is very likely that it must have been the apple tree in Newton's garden at Wololsthorpe Manor. This was unfortunately blown over by a storm around 1816. Many years later, however, the tree, which had sprouted new shoots, was rediscovered and should by now be more than 370 years old (radiocarbon measurements). There are now several offshoots of this tree at various universities around the world - since 2013 also in Ilmenau.

More details can be found here.