The Renaissance period

A close-up of the astrolabe of Verona shows an inscription in Hebrew (top left) above Arabic inscriptions. Credit: Federica Gigante

'Incredibly rare' ancient astrolabe discovered in Italy reveals Islamic-Jewish scientific exchanges

A scientist has discovered a unique Islamic astrolabe from the eleventh century in Verona, Italy, which includes inscriptions in Arabic and Hebrew. This find illustrates the rich scientific collaboration between Muslim, Jewish and Christian cultures in the Middle Ages, and presents the
Different ideas about the universe in the period before Galileo. Illustration: shutterstock

Who was Galileo Galilei?

What kind of person was Galileo? How did his innovative world views develop? What was it like to live in Renaissance Florence and study at the University of Pisa?