The tautochrone of Huygens and Abel: from constructive geometry to fractional calculus

Abstract In this paper, we explore the connections between Christiaan Huygens and Niels Henrik Abel through the tautochrone problem. The problem—determining the curve along which a particle descends under gravity in the same time, regardless of its starting point—has been a central topic at the intersection of physics, geometry, and analysis. Though these two major figures are separated by nearly two centuries, they approached the problem in radically different ways. While Huygens proposed a physical solution based on geometric construction, Abel approached the problem within the analytic framework of integral equations, employing a procedure that can be seen as anticipating and paving the way for the development of differential calculus of arbitrary order. This contrast highlights a broader historical narrative: the transformation of mathematical thinking from constructive geometry to abstract analysis.