gravitation

what came first?

newton's theory of gravity (after which people spoke of gravitating towards ...) or the word gravity, after which the concept in physics was named?

the online etymology dictionary tells me that
gravity
c.1500, "weight, dignity, seriousness," from M.Fr. gravité "seriousness, thoughtfulness," and directly from L. gravitatem (nom. gravitas) "weight, heaviness, pressure," from gravis "heavy" (see grave (adj.)). The scientific sense of "force that gives weight to objects" first recorded 1640s.
gravitate
1640s, “exert weight, move downward,” from Mod.L. gravitatus, pp. of gravitare “gravitate,” from L. gravitas "heaviness, weight" (see gravity). Meaning "To be affected by gravity" is from 1690s. Figurative use from 1670s. Related: Gravitated; gravitating. The classical Latin verb was gravare "to make heavy, burden, oppress, aggravate."


given that isaac newton himself was born in 1642 (the very year that galileo died!) it would seem that the word came before the man and his theory.  in fact, "gravity" was in the air, and became a scientific idea in the  1640s
more about the development of theories of gravitation
some information about the physics and the gravity and such

newton's apple, part of a flickr photostream

images of cambridge, including a tree "sired" (ugh) by an apple from one of newton's trees 

an apple and one of newton's trees, 

outside Woolsthorpe Manor - Isaac Newton's house

if you want to do some sight-seeing while in Colsterworth

isaac newton's account of the apple falling and his eureka (sic) moment is now on the web says this bbc report,

Newton recounted the story that inspired his theory of gravitation to scholar William Stukeley.

It then appeared in Stukeley's 1752 biography, Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's Life.

The UK's Royal Society converted the fragile manuscript into an electronic book, which anybody with internet access will now be able to read.

The story of Newton and the apple... is based on a conversation between Newton and Stukeley  Martin Kemp Art historian

In the story, Newton claimed to have been inspired by a falling apple in his garden to investigate the theory of gravitation.

story also in the guardian

history of the apple logo,
i hadn't twigged that the apple was isaac newton related (obvious once you know) - here was the first apple logo
doesn't quite have the graphic zing of the latest iteration,
this one augmented with newton

even cooler than i-apples, some stencil art by vango (who styles himself, street artist/ graffiti artist/ urban artist/ stencil artist.... perhaps vandal) in killarney, ireland

as well as the stencil work, the apples on the ground (in the tree? i think so because that's not an apple tree) are made of clay