Michel de Nostredame (or Nostradamus as is he is more commonly known) left an indelible mark on the world in his relatively brief life. His early academic career saw him develop a passion for science, leading to a career as a highly respected physician. In 1555, just 11 years prior to his death, he began writing a series of predictions in the form of his "quatrains" (essentially a series of short poems), and it is these which have been poured over for centuries, as folk look for hints of forethought on cataclysmic world events.