Using a brass telescope of his own design, Galileo spent hours spying on worlds beyond our own. What he discovered changed the way we viewed the Solar System. Born in Pisa, Italy, in 1564, Galileo Galilei spent his youth as a keen musician and medical student at the University of Pisa. However, like so many other great minds, Galileo felt the pull of mathematics and found himself immersed in the worlds of mechanics and astronomy. Before his rise to academic stardom, the world largely viewed the universe through the eyes of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle. Based on the existence of celestial spheres and an Earth-centric view of the universe, the science of astronomy in the early 16th century was very much in its infancy. At least until Galileo began a scientific revolution using a new invention.
Arguably his most important contribution to science was the creation of his refracting telescope. Having discovered a new instrument called the spyglass in 1609, Galileo began experimenting with how he might use it to magnify his view of the world and beyond. Although Galileo didn’t technically invent the telescope, which was first patented by Dutch eyeglass maker Hans Lippershey, his modifications to the original design gave him the ability to gaze at the stars with unrivalled precision. Wasting no time, Galileo pointed his telescope towards the stars for the first time in 1610. The year that followed was filled with lunar discoveries, solar revelations and planetary observations that changed the way we view the celestial residents of space. From Moon craters to Saturn’s ‘ears’, Galileo saw objects in space up close using his refractor telescope, which he developed to have a magnification of up to 30 times.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 179-utgaven av How It Works UK.
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RESCUE IN SPACE
Fortunately, space emergencies are a rare occurrence, but astronauts and space agencies need to be prepared for any eventuality that might arise
NEANDERTHAL LIVING
Why our prehistoric cousins were pioneers, not clueless apes
BUILDING ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
One World Trade Center rose from the ashes of the Twin Towers. Now, as the tallest building in New York City, it looks to the skies and the future. Here's how this sustainable and secure record-breaker was built
BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST
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LIFTING THE LID ON ANTARCTICA
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URBAN WILDLIFE
How wild animals have evolved to thrive alongside humans in towns and cities
WHAT IS SUNBURN?
How solar rays can leave us red, sore and irritated
ALL ABOUT FAT
Fat is a complex, active organ. Here's how genetics, evolution, lifestyle and diet dictate how much we have beneath our skin
The Space Force is launching lasers into orbit
The Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true centre using lasers on GPS satellites, slated to launch in 2025. A set of Laser Retroreflector Arrays, or LRAS, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimetre measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging, which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's centre.
Eating too much sugar may accelerate cellular ageing
A nutrient-rich diet with few added sugars may slow the rate of biological ageing in women. Scientists found that middle-aged women who ate more foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had 'younger looking' cells than those who consumed less nutrient-rich diets.