When I think of Galileo Galilei, I think of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. (Galileo, Galileo, Galileo!)
After finally understanding that Galileo Galilei had a bigger impact on our world than Queen’s Rhapsody, I began to appreciate what the man conquered.
Yet, one of the most ironic lessons of Galileo’s findings appear in De Motu, in which Galileo reported that lighter objects fall faster at the begining, then the heavier object catches up and arrives at the ground slightly before the lighter one. Of course, today we know this to be false. Surely Galileo, an extremely bright individual couldn’t have gotten this wrong? Many scholars concluded that Galileo was either a piss poor observer or making his data up. “This must be true,” they reasoned.
To give some back-story, Galileo conducted the experiment using a brass sphere and a wooden sphere. He then tested it by dropping it by hand multiple times, then noting his observation each time. By conducting the experiment in the same way that Galileo did, one finds that Galileo is actually right. The wooden sphere drops slightly faster; however, the brass sphere quickly catches up.
How can this be true?
Well, being that the wooden sphere is lighter than the brass sphere, it results in one to gripping the sphere more lightly than the brass sphere. Although, to the individual it’s impossible to notice the difference. This, in turn, causes the brass sphere to be released slightly after the wooden sphere, which explains Galileo’s findings.
Here’s the irony:
Galileo observed what must be true using innacurate means, leading him to think his findings are true.
The scientists observed what must be true using accurate means, leading them to think Galileo was wrong.
Yet, not one scientist observed Galileo’s findings through Galileo’s means until relatively recent times.
The irony is that both Galileo and the scientists were wrong because they critisized results on what must be true, instead of digging deeper and searching for what is true.
The only thing that I know must be true is that Bohemian Rhapsody is an epic song.
