It is commonly accepted that the scientific study of glass did not begin in earnest until the 19^th century with the pioneering work of Otto Schott.

Although this statement is strictly correct—the work had to wait for the formal development of physics and chemistry—it is also understood that glass had been studied for centuries beforehand. From the empirical work of the glass masters of Murano, Italy, to the reinvention of Rubinglas by German alchemist Johann Kunckel, glass had been studied by many artisans and early scientists. In this article, however, I will focus on how glass fascinated some of the great scientific minds of the past five centuries, with the selection made at my discretion.