I chose Galileo because he was a pioneer in the field of physics and is dubbed the “Father of Modern Science”. He also has a memorable name, as I remember hearing it as a lyric on a famous Queen song, Bohemian Rhapsody. In addition, Galileo is a large figure in astronomy, which is something that interests me.
Interesting Facts:
- Born February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy
- Studied medicine in the University of Pisa, for which he enrolled but never completed
- Italian Renaissance philosopher, inventor, and polymath
- Famous for his observations which gave the world a better understanding of celestial bodies
- Wanted to be a monk
- Constructed a telescope that had a greater magnification than previous models
- Supported the Copernican theory of heliocentrism
- He wrote a book about his groundbreaking discoveries called, “The Starry Messenger”.
- Developed universal law of acceleration
- His views caused controversy, since many people in his time still believed in Aristotelian views
- Was held under house arrest after being convicted of heresy, until he later died
Citations
“40 Galileo Facts: Interesting Facts About Galileo.” The Fact File, 10 May 2019, http://thefactfile.org/galileo-facts/.
Bellis, Mary. “Biography of Galileo Galilei, Renaissance Philosopher and Inventor.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 22 Aug. 2019, http://www.thoughtco.com/galileo-galilei-biography.
“Galileo.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 4 Sept. 2019, www.biography.com/scholar/galileo.
“Telescopic Discoveries.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., http://www.britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei/Telescopic-discoveries.
“Who Was Galileo Galilei? Everything You Need to Know.” Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline, http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/galileo-galilei-123.php.
Zax, David. “Galileo’s Revolutionary Vision Helped Usher In Modern Astronomy.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Aug. 2009, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Galileos-Revolutionary-Vision-Helped-Usher-In-Modern-Astronomy-34545274/.