Jorge Juan y SantaciliaJorge Juan y Santacilia was born on January 5, 1713 in Alicante, Spain. When his father died he was taken care of by uncles who made sure he got a good education. He got his first official title at the age of 14. He joined a naval academy and studied almost everything available to him. He led an expedition at the age of 22.
When he was sent on the same mission as Antonio de Ulloa to Ecuador, he discovered that the earth in fact is not round, but flattens out at the poles. He is credited with Ulloa for the discovery of Platinum and was promoted to Captain for his work. Later in life he became a sort of spy and got plans for the Spanish that helped them beef up their navy. He died on June 21, 1773 in Madrid, most likely due to his illness that caused him to have many seizures. |