The Renaissance Man: Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564, in Pisa, Italy. He was an Italian astronomer, professor, mathematician, and physicist. He enrolled at the University of Pisa in his youth but soon had to leave the university due to financial difficulties.
However, in 1589, he got a job as a lecturer in the same university. After some time he got a job at the University of Padua and taught here till 1610 and in the history, this was the period when he made a large number of scientific discoveries.
Galileo’s greatest role in science is in the field of mechanics. Aristotle believed that heavier objects fell to earth faster than lighter ones, and for centuries scholars have questioned Aristotle’s claim.
However, Galileo decided to test this claim, and after several experiments, he soon learned that Aristotle was completely wrong. The fact is that bodies, whether heavy or light, fall to the ground at the same speed, although their speed is definitely affected by the friction of the air.
Galileo’s most important discovery was the law of stagnation. Previously, people believed that a moving body would eventually slow down and stop on its own unless it was provided with constant energy to move but Galileo’s experiments suggest that this general idea was wrong.
If the opposing force acting on the moving body, such as friction, is eliminated, it will always move. This is the most important principle of physics which Newton reiterated and included in his first law of motion.
However, Galileo’s most important discoveries are related to astronomy. The astronomical theory was studied extensively in the early 16th century, the earth revolved around the sun — and those who believed in the ancient theory that the sun revolved around the earth. Rotates or not.
In 1604, Galileo vindicated Copernicus’ theory, although at that time he had no way of vindicating it. However, in 1609, Galileo learned of the invention of the telescope in the Netherlands.
Although he had only superficial information about the invention But he was so intelligent that he soon developed a more powerful and advanced telescope than this one and with this new invention, he actually took astronomical observations to the skies and made the most important discoveries in just one year.
He observed the moon and saw that it was not a smooth sphere but had numerous volcanoes, estuaries, and mountains. He concluded that celestial bodies are not exactly homogeneous and complete, but that they have the same unevenness as the Earth.
After observing the galaxy, he saw that it was milky and not a faint being, but that it was a cluster of millions of individual stars, and that it was so great a distance from us that it could only be seen with the naked eye. He also observed the planets and saw four moons revolving around Mercury this was clear evidence that an astronomical body could revolve around a planet other than Earth. He observed the sun and discovered solar flares.
Although people had seen solar flares before Galileo, Galileo published his observations very effectively and drew the attention of the scientific world. He observed that the planet Venus passes through orbits similar to the rotation of the moon. This observation was important in proving Copernicus’ theory that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun.
The invention of the telescope and the scientific discoveries made through it gave Galileo a lasting reputation. However, in support of Copernicus ‘theory, Galileo further discovered the secrets of the universe, which revolutionized the world and when Galileo published all this stuff, a storm broke out against him, the hostile people who became his fiercest opponents even some community members even said that he was an atheist and working against religious beliefs to find secrets.
In 1611, Galileo went to Rome, where he was highly respected! Yet there was not much hatred against him in the religious professions, but Galileo’s enemies and his assailants continued to grow. Galileo often had discussions with twenty people at one time but those foolish people remained the opposite of Galileo, but Galileo cared for no one and continued his work and at that time people believed that the earth stood in one place, and the rest of the planets and stars revolve around it.
But Galileo rejected the idea, by saying that the earth is a planet much larger than the Sun. It does not rotate around the earth but the earth rotates around the sun, even Copernicus had presented this theory long time ago, but at the time there was no clear and weighty proof. later, Galileo justified himself with his telescope.
In 1615, He also gained opposition from a key church circle even the great Pope warned Galileo that he would not publish Copernicus’s doctrine. Finally, the doctrine of Copernicus was completely banned and Galileo was ordered to refrain from teaching Copernicus’ views, Galileo willingly endured this order for many years…
In 1632 he published a powerful book, which promoted an appreciation nod in the scientific world, but he warned by religious preachers because in that book the closer theories were highlighted and Galileo was called out to Rome, At first he denied the allegations, but the religious court sentenced him to prison. Later, it was decided that he would spend the rest of his rest of his life in silence in the country, even he was free but he could not express his thoughts freely.
The last days of Galileo’s life were in great pain, he must have been free, but he was bound to tell the truth. Even so, Galileo’s health began to deteriorate, but Galileo was still involved in his research work, and a few months after the publication of his other book in 1636, Galileo went blind with his eyes. After being blind, Galileo continued to work and continued his research. He introduces the Pendulum clockwise and Introduces a way to find the right time.
He continued to work till the last of his life. He was deprived of writing, so he used to write his ideas from his students. Once he was busy with his work so he got a fever and was already weak, He died at the age of 78, on 8 January in 1642.
