Leonhard Euler

His ideas turned the mathematical world on its head. He calculated the currents of liquids, the moment of inertia, developed the calculus of variations and the modern number theory. As scientist he should be placed on the same level as Newton and Einstein.

Engineers all over the world use his formulas every day – whether it be for constructing the hull of the "Alinghi" or for calculating the vibrations of the "Viaduc de Millau", the world's highest motorway bridge.

He was, however, a man who loved the peace and quiet of his home life – not easy at the time of the foundation of St. Petersburg, when murdering czars was daily business; or in Berlin at the time of the Silesian wars; and particularly not in the midst of a crowd of children.

The comic by Elena Pini (illustrations) and Alice and Andreas K. Heyne (text) follows the life of the genius from Basel, who, born 300 years ago, would set out to change the scientific world.