It is often fun to read about the various characters who have shaped the science of the world. Leading Scientists in the field of Science, and other related fields, are not always portrayed as they should be in textbooks and scientific research articles. For example, it may be argued that Sir Isaac Newton, the great scientist, was a crank. The opposite is often true. In fact, many prominent scientists throughout history have been crank scientists.
Let us start with Galileo in the 16th century. The controversy concerning him and his telescope cannot be avoided. On one side there were those who were convinced that the Earth was round and the solar system was controlled by heavenly bodies, while the other group of thinkers held that the Earth was flat and that the solar system was not controlled by anything except the movement of heavenly bodies. Galileo was pilloried for his theories, but he was also right. There were many other theories that were proven correct by observation before Galileo’s day.
Another great scientist who did not get the credit he deserved was Galileo Galilei. Before his time there were many theories put forward concerning the nature of the planets and the solar system. However, none of them bore any relation to scripture. Galileo was castigated for his telescope and his theory that the earth was round, not rotating. He was banished from the church and was never able to live up to the standards of Catholic doctrine.
Albert Einstein was another great intellect who was castigated for his theories concerning relativity. Many times in science the lines of reasoning are very simple. We observe an effect and ask, “What was it before this effect?” What many scientists do not seem to realize is that what they observe is not the actual state of reality, but merely an effect produced by the action or reaction of something else. In other words, the laws of physics do not tell us what reality is.
Galileo had a great talent for asking questions and he used this talent in many of his scientific works. As a matter of fact, some of the greatest discoveries of modern times were the result of someone asking the right questions. One great example is the development of electricity by Thomas Edison. Without the use of these simple and innocent questions, many discoveries would never have been made.
Galileo was tried for burning the witches of Capricornes. Some say that this is actually where the idea for the” witches’ burnings” came from. Others believe that this story is simply not true. Still, others suggest that this may be one of the many myths concerning the trial, and that Galileo really did witness the actual event.
Galileo was also famously thrown into prison for his opinions about religion. Although most of his ideas did not hold water, he was nonetheless allowed to continue his studies and inventions. One of his most famous devices was the telescope. This huge and extremely complex instrument is still used today, and its uses are invaluable. In fact, there are over one hundred schools that use the technology that he pioneered.
Richard Feynman was another notable scientist whose work is often referred to as “closed” or “overlooked”. Yet, when you learn about his incredible achievements, many of us will shake our heads in awe. Indeed, Feynman is perhaps best known for being the creator of the well known “Feynman bounce”, but he was also responsible for discovering the particle called the pion. There are so many amazing things that can be learned from Richard Feynman’s incredible life and we owe it to all of his pioneering students to continue to study his theories and discoveries.