Sharpen Your Mind: Galileo

Galileo, a fourteenth century Italian, contributed to many areas of modern science, including astronomy, physics, and the scientific method of experimentation.

Galileo Galilei was born in 1565 near Pisa, Italy. Galileo made dramatic contributions to science and has been called the father of modern physics, the father of modern astronomy, and the father of modern science.

He invented the compound microscope, discovered Jupiter's moons, designed the first pendulum clock, and invented a telescope that could penetrate deeply into space. He laid the groundwork for the modern scientific method of experimentation, and he inspired Newton's development of the laws of motion with his concept of inertia.

Galileo died, however, under house arrest. He defended Copernicus's theory that the planets revolved around the sun, in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church which maintained that the sun and planets revolved around the earth. For this he was found guilty of defying church doctrine and was sentenced to life in prison. His sentence was commuted to house arrest, where he died eight years later.

In 1992, Pope John Paul II formed a commission that recognized Galileo's bravery and formally apologized for his punishment.

Interesting Trivia:

Galileo was more than the father of science. He fathered two daughters out of wedlock. Both later became nuns.

Galileo's father discouraged him from studying mathematics, wanting him to be a doctor instead.

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Source: The Intellectual Devotional, David S. Kidder & Noah D. Oppenheim