Galileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities
INTRODUCTION G ALILEO WAS A TRUE GENIUS Though we think of him mainly as an astronomer he was a man of many interests He enjoyed science mathematics music and art and made great discoveries that revolution ized the world Not simply a scientific philosopher he also applied his ideas to practical inventions This is the story of a thinker who was truly ahead of his time Galileo sought the truth and argued that there was no substitution for observation and experimentation He believed that whatever nature was whatever we observed must be what God made Whether or not the Bible or the theologians who studied it said as much the truth was present all around us waiting to be discovered Though his theories contradicted what the Church taught Galileo was a deeply religious man He knew the risks of writing that the earth revolves around the sun but he did not let the threat of punishment stop him He did not feel that his dis coveries should threaten the Church and did not see why religion had to overlap with science Galileo's life story is incredibly relevant today The struggle between science and religion has come up time and again in the years since Galileo lived not only in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in the
mid 19th century but also in the moral and religious dilemmas of today Should we split atoms alter genes or clone animals Do we forge ahead in the name of science or is there a point at which we should stop These key questions of the 21st century also played in Galileo's mind as he made and publicized new dis coveries that would change the world Is knowledge a goal in and of itself Is knowledge dangerous As Galileo found out the hard way science can become very political because knowledge is power The continued exploration of space that Galileo inspired holds the promise to reveal more about our origins As we discover more we are sure to run into issues of science versus religion Perhaps Galileo's thinking was right on target Perhaps science and religion can remain separate so long as each main tains respect for the other As Galileo might have said both science and religion help us to know our selves There is no need to eliminate one for the sake of the
TIME LINE New star observed by the Chinese res4 Nicolaus Copernicus born 47 Copernicus Revolution of the 543 in Celestial Orbis published Copernicus dies Tycho Brahe born 1546 Galileo Galilei born 56 Johannes Kepler born 171 H Supernova appears in the sky 157 Great comet appears in the sky 1577 Galileo studies at a monastery 1579 BEASLEE ER RECE Galileo begins studies at the University of Pisa is a Galileo leaves the university isss Galileo begins teaching at Pisa 158g Galileo's father dies 159 Galileo forced out of Pisa 159 accepts position at Padua El Galileo's first child is born too Brahe dies
beg Supernova appears he thony Galileo invents the telescope soro Galileo discovers Jupiters moons were soro Starry Messenger is published Galileo returns to Florence rora Floating Bodies is published sory Galileo s daughters enter convent hong Tommaso Caccini denounces Galileo soro Copernicus s work is banned by the index Galileo warned by Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine Gao Galileo s mother dies Cosimo de Medici dies I n ston The Assange is published Pope Urban vow takes throne ge Kepler dies Federico Cesidies Galileo applies for a license to print Dialogue of the Tour chief systems 6 Dialogue of the Two Chief systems is published 63 Galileo tried before the inquisition and sentenced to house arrest in Siena but is allowed to go from Sienas to his house arrest at Arcetri 634 Galileo s daughter Maria Celeste dies son Galileo begins to lose his sight 1638 Galileo visited by John Milton Galileo publishes the new sciences 643 Galileo dies and is buried in a corner of Santa Croce Church A rosy Vincenzo Viviani writes biography of Galileo 37 Galileo reburied with proper honors
