Jodcast Forum - Discussion Feed (Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars) Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:34:14 +0100 http://forum.jodcast.net/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.1.8 & Feed Publisher Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=83#Comment_83 http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=83#Comment_83 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:41:48 +0000 Megan Argo Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=81#Comment_81 http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=81#Comment_81 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:03:34 +0000 Stuart Lowe Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=80#Comment_80 http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=80#Comment_80 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:34:19 +0000 Jodatheoak One of the reasons was because a film was being made and they wanted to show what Galileo could see...seems lame to me - I think some mysteries should be kept mysteries.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/23/galileo-dna-test
I did read that his telescope was quite powerful...didn't he make his own lenses and if he did wouldn't he produce them to correct some defects of his eyes? ]]> Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=78#Comment_78 http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=78#Comment_78 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:53:09 +0000 Stuart Lowe
The implication of the claim seems to be that Galileo faked his observations. If he had (which seems very unlikely) this wouldn't affect our understanding of the universe because we don't rely on his word alone. Many other people around the time (and even just before e.g. Thomas Harriot) observed the same things that Galileo noted. These were independent observations that confirmed his findings. In fact, hundreds of thousands (probably millions) of people have looked through telescopes since and confirmed things such as craters on the Moon, Jupiter's moons, the phases of Venus etc.

The only thing such a finding would really change would be our understanding of Galileo himself. ]]> Scientists to test DNA to find out if Galileo could really see stars http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=77#Comment_77 http://forum.jodcast.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=22&Focus=77#Comment_77 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:44:28 +0000 Jodatheoak