List of Famous Inventors & Discoverers

Birthdate: February 17, 1781

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Quimper, France

Died: August 13, 1826

Unlike most doctors, French physician René Laennec was also a skilled musician. It was while making his own wooden flutes that he invented the stethoscope, which helped doctors examine the chest cavity through auditory cues. His research also included work on melanoma, cirrhosis, and tuberculosis. He was a dedicated Catholic.