As a founding father in the fields of physics and astronomy, Galileo Galilei is known for countless contributions to science. The Italian thinker stressed a methodical, mathematical approach to studying the universe, and inspired the modern scientific method that remains a bedrock of scientific inquiry — even 380 years after his death. His innovations in the realm of motion and gravity are equally exceptional and have laid the foundations for today’s physics and made him one of the greatest scientists of all time. But all these contributions are eclipsed by his astronomical observations, which highlighted spots on the sun, craters on the moon, and stars throughout the Milky Way — not to mention his monumental findings on how the cosmos revolve around the sun.
“I discovered in the heavens many things that had not been seen before our own age,” Galileo wrote in 1615. Indeed, he transformed the way in which people perceived the world. Here’s 12 intriguing facts about his life and career that may not be so familiar:
Galileo Galilei’s names sound similar on purpose
He was born in Tuscany, Italy in 1564, when parents frequently provided their sons with personal names inspired by their traditional family identifiers. In fact, Galileo’s forebearers actually used the terms “Galileo” and “Galilei” interchangeably as a surname throughout the years. Though this sounds confusing today, people at this time perceived naming conventions as fairly flexible. Most Italians, including Galileo, would’ve introduced themselves with only a single name, which they occasionally supplemented with their occupation, town of origin, father’s first name or traditional family name.
