c. 1316-1390

German philosopher and mathematician who wrote on mechanics and geology. Around 1350, Albert presented a theory of impetus that distinguished between uniform and irregular motion. In the realm of geology, he maintained that a process of uplift on land compensates for the force of erosion exerted on it by the oceans. Presenting an early version of isostasy, he held that rock formations tend to find their natural level by sinking or rising according to their densities.