The Stars of Galileo Galilei and the Universal Knowledge of Athanasius Kircher, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2014 Astrophysics and Space Science Library Series, Vol. 399

In this fascinating book, the author traces the careers, ideas, discoveries, and inventions of two renowned scientists, Athanasius Kircher and Galileo Galilei, one a Jesuit, the other a sincere man of faith whose relations with the Jesuits deteriorated badly. The Author documents Kircher?s often intuitive work in many areas, including translating the hieroglyphs, developing sundials, and inventing the magic lantern, and explains how Kircher was a forerunner of Darwin in suggesting that animal species evolve. Galileo?s work on scales, telescopes, and sun spots is mapped and discussed, and care is taken to place his discoveries within their cultural environment. While Galileo is without doubt the ?winner? in the comparison with Kircher, the latter achieved extraordinary insights by unconventional means. For all Galileo?s fine work, the author believes that scientists do need to regain the power of dreaming, vindicating Kirchner?s view.

The World Theatre.- Watches and sunflowers rotating upon a motionless Earth.- Jesuits, scales and telescopes.- Light and shadows.- Spots upon an unchangeable Sun.- The Deluge.- Hieroglyphs and the dream of Universal Wisdom.- Crystal Skies and the circles of Hell.- Conclusion.- Galileo Galilei and Athanasius Kircher: parallel lives

A fascinating comparison of the careers, ideas, discoveries, and inventions of two renowned scientists at the crossroads of the seventeenth century Describes Kircher’s intuitive work and his ability to achieve extraordinary insights by unconventional means Places Galileo’s work on scales, telescopes, and sun spots within its cultural context Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras