Galileo Galilei

Early Life

Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician who contributed immensely to the scientific revolution of the 17th century.

He is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time and the father of modern science.

Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy on 15 February 1564. He was the first child of Vincenzo Galilei, a leading lutenist, composer, and music theorist, and Giulia Ammannati.

Like his father, Galileo became an accomplished lutenist and learned all he needed from his father for an established authority.

Galileo Galilei was born with five other siblings but only two survived infancy. As a child, Galileo was briefly left in the care of Muzio Tedaldi for two years when his family moved to Florence before he joined them.

Due to the financial burdens surrounding Galileo’s life, he developed an interest in wanting to invent things to generate a source of additional income.

Education & Career

Galileo’s early education was in logic from 1575 to 1578. Left to him, Galileo desired to become a priest but at the urging of his father he enrolled at the University of Pisa for a medical degree but later became a professor.

While studying medicine, Galileo developed an interest in science. Luckily for him, he was able to convince his father into allowing him to study mathematics and natural philosophy, which he didn’t finish up studying.

Galileo’s first invention was a thermoscope, which was a forerunner of the thermometer. He went ahead to invent other useful instruments like the hydrostatic balance, and the telescope

Gaelileo contributed significantly to various fields such as mechanics, dynamics, kinematics, and astronomy.

Galileo used his telescope to make several significant contributions to science that challenged the views of his time.

He confirmed the phases of Venus, discovered the four moons of Jupiter, discovered the moon’s craters, observed sunspots, and supported the heliocentric model of Copernicus.

Galileo’s discoveries were so far ahead of their time that they brought him into conflict with the church which dismissed his views as heretical and contrary to scripture. He was tried by the Roman Inquisition and forced to recant his heliocentrism.

Aside from inventing things, Galileo was a professor. He worked at the University of Pisa, where he taught geometry, mechanics, and astronomy.

Galileo Galilei spent the last years of his life under house arrest in Arcetri but he continued to work on his scientific writings until his death in 1642.

Personal Life

Galileo’s personal life was quite interesting. He never married but he had three children out of wedlock with Marina Gamba.