Grow up with... Galileo Galilei

(February 15, 1564 – January 8, 1642)

The earth and the sun 

In the famous Italian town of Pisa, two boys dressed in short balloon pants, loose, soft shirts and colourful, quilted jackets, sat watching a flock of birds fly past.

“I wish I could fly,” said the younger one.

“People can’t fly,” said his friend, laughing.

“I know ~ you need wings to fly. But if someone could make a machine with wings, just like a bird….”

“Listen, Galileo, if god wanted man to fly, he would have given him wings! Why do you always ask such foolish questions and meddle in things you can’t understand!”

Galileo Galilei kept silent, but wondered why it was wrong to ask questions.

His father always encouraged his curiosity, specially during lessons, when he taught the child Greek, Latin and how to play the lute.

At nine, Galileo had a new teacher, Master Borghini, who also encouraged his brilliant pupil. Galileo first learnt maths from him.

Two years later, Galileo’s family moved to Florence. Galileo was very excited and loved his new school, which was actually a monastery called Vallambrosa.

But he did not stop asking questions or reading. He read Aristotle’s books on science and was puzzled by the learned Greek’s statement that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones.

Galileo asked his teacher if this was true.

“If Aristotle has written it, it must be true,” said the monk.

“But why? Has no one proved it?” asked Galileo in surprise.

“Aristotle was a great man. He does not need proof!” said the angry teacher and walked away.

This was just one of many facts that Galileo disproved. But in his quest for the truth, he made many enemies in the powerful Catholic church, and suffered, too.

But this did not stop Galileo, who later proved that the earth moved around the sun. And went on to invent the thermometer.