Michel Flor矇al Chasles (November 15, 1793 - December 18, 1880) was a French mathematician. In 1837 he published his Historical view of the origin and development of methods in geometry, a study of the method of reciprocal polars in projective geometry. He was appointed Professor at the ?cole Polytechnique in 1841. He developed a theory of characteristics that enabled the correct enumeration of the conics (there are 3264). He established several important theorems (all called Chasles' theorem), that on solid body kinematics was seminal for understanding their motions, and hence to the development of the theories of dynamics of rigid bodies. In 1865 he was awarded the Copley Medal. He died in 1880 at the age of 87. His is one of the 72 names inscribed on the EiffelTower.