Galileo and Experimentation

Sep 25, 2015 - July 31, 2016

Galileo’s experiments and innovative scientific instruments opened up new worlds of discovery. His thermoscope facilitated quantitative comparison of temperatures over time and under varying circumstances. When Ferdinand II de Medici founded the Academy of Experiment, or Accademia del Cimento, in Florence, further experimentation of Galileo’s successors using the thermometer, barometer and air pump led to advances in meteorology, physics, chemistry and cosmology.

1	Hero of Alexandria, The Book on Air (Spiritalium liber). Urbini, 1575
2	Galileo, Discourse on Floating Bodies (Discorso intorno alle Cose che Stanno in su l'Acqua). Florence, 1612
3	Arturo Pannochieschi, Considerations on Galileo's Discourse on Floating Bodies (Considerazioni sopra il Discorso del Sig. Galileo). Pisa, 1612
4	Galileo, Response to the Opposition of Lodovico delle Colombe (Risposta alle Opposizioni del S. Lodovico delle Colombe). Florence, 1615
5	Galileo Thermoscope replica, National Weather Center
6	Accademia del Cimento, Essays on Natural Experiences, 1666 (Saggi di Naturali Esperienze,1666). Florence, 1666
7	Accademia del Cimento, Essays on Natural Experiences, 1667 (Saggi di Naturali Esperienze,1667). Florence, 1667
8	Accademia del Cimento, Essays on Natural Experiences, 1701 (Saggi di Naturali Esperienze, 1701). Naples, 1701
9	Blaise Pascal, Treatise on the Equilibrium of Fluids (Traitez de l'Equilibre des Liqueurs). Paris, 1663
10	Gaspar Schott, Curious Technology (Technica curiosa). Nuremberg, 1664
11	Otto von Guericke, New Experiments (Experimenta nova). Amsterdam, 1672
12	Robert Boyle, New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, Touching the Spring of the Air ( ). Oxford, 1660
13	Isaac Newton, Opticks. London, 1704
14	Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis, On the Equations of the Relative Movement of Systems of Bodies (Sur les Équations du Mouvement Relatif des Systèmes de Corps). Paris, 1835

Explore the Topic

Supplemental resources for a rich educational experience

	Meteorology Experimental meteorology was inaugurated by the Accademia del Cimento.
	Accademia del Cimento The Accademia del Cimento was Europe's first scientific society.
	Saggi di Naturali Esperienze Learn more about the lavishly illustrated publication of the Saggi di naturali esperienze.
	Barometer Learn more about the barometer, an instrument for "weighing" air.
	Torricelli’s Barometric Experiment Learn more about Torricelli's celebrated barometric experiment.
	Pascal’s Barometric Experiment Learn more about Pascal's barometric experiment.
	Weather Forecasting Measuring atmospheric pressure is one of the essential operations in weather-forecasting.
	From the Thermoscope to the Thermometer Learn more about the development of Thermoscope all the way to the Thermometer.
	Pneumatics Learn more about pneumatics, which emerged as a rigorously scientific discipline in the 17th century
	Galileo's World Exhibit Guide iBook companion to the Galileo's World exhibition

Galileo and Experimentation

How do new instruments extend sensory perception, facilitate new experiments, shape new conceptions, raise new questions and promote quantitative methods?

Galileo and Experimentation

National Weather Center

Explore the Topic