One of the greatest names associated with the Enlightenment of the Seventeenth Century is that of Galileo Galilei, the infamous polymath who ended up getting on the wrong side of the Inquisition. Born on 15 February 1564 not far from Pisa, Galileo was the son of a humble musician however it soon became clear that the young man… Read on
Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer, died on this day 24 October, 1601, of what is believed to be mercury poisoning. A less widely known fact about Brahe is that he had a false nose ever since he lost his own in a duel over who was the best mathematician! Egads, eh? That must have hurt. As a result of his injuries… Read on
We went to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and it was a wonderful experience. Anyone who loves the Seventeenth Century and science must come here if they can! We were lucky that the weather was good for the outing. It’s quite a trek going up the hill like we did, but great for the old legs! Greenwich is an… Read on