Sir Isaac Newton discovered the laws of motion in the late 17th century, primarily outlined in his work "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica," published in 1687. These laws consist of three fundamental principles that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting upon it. Newton's laws revolutionized physics and laid the groundwork for classical mechanics, explaining concepts such as inertia, acceleration, and action-reaction forces. His contributions fundamentally changed our understanding of motion and paved the way for advancements in science and engineering.