He was born in Leipzig, Germany, and studied there, spent time in Paris and London, and in 1676 became librarian to the Duke of Brunswick at Hanover. He also travelled in Austria and Italy.
In 1700 he became the first president of the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin.

In Berlin Leibniz made original contributions to optics, mechanics, statistics, logic, and probability theory. He wrote on history, law, and political theory, and he conceived the idea of calculating machines.

Leibniz also developed a comprehensive cosmic philosophy, a theory he called monadology.
He died, however, without real recognition and with almost all his work unpublished.