adorshki
Reverential Member
By Elizabeth Victoria on Quora:
"The Journey of Galileo's Finger
Galileo Galilei's middle finger holds a unique place in history that few could imagine. After his death in 1642, Galileo was originally laid to rest in a small closet next to the chapel of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Arcetri, Italy. However, in 1737 his remains were exhumed and transferred to the magnificent church of Santa Croce in Florence.
It was during this process that Anton Francesco Gori, a renowned scholar and antiquarian, made an unusual decision. He carefully detached Galileo's finger from the skeleton, seeing it as an important relic of the famous scientist. Gori presented the finger to Angelo M. Bandini, the learned librarian of the prestigious Biblioteca Laurenziana library.
Nearly a century later, one final move was made. In 1927, Galileo's finger took up residence at the Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence where it resides today. Stepping into the museum transports visitors back to Galileo's world. Interactive exhibits showcase his groundbreaking telescopes, notebooks filled with calculations, and personal instruments he used to change our understanding of the Cosmos. The finger sits proudly as a lasting symbol of the scientific martyr whose genius opened our eyes to the heavens."
I know which finger I'd like to give to posterity.
"The Journey of Galileo's Finger
Galileo Galilei's middle finger holds a unique place in history that few could imagine. After his death in 1642, Galileo was originally laid to rest in a small closet next to the chapel of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Arcetri, Italy. However, in 1737 his remains were exhumed and transferred to the magnificent church of Santa Croce in Florence.
It was during this process that Anton Francesco Gori, a renowned scholar and antiquarian, made an unusual decision. He carefully detached Galileo's finger from the skeleton, seeing it as an important relic of the famous scientist. Gori presented the finger to Angelo M. Bandini, the learned librarian of the prestigious Biblioteca Laurenziana library.
Nearly a century later, one final move was made. In 1927, Galileo's finger took up residence at the Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence where it resides today. Stepping into the museum transports visitors back to Galileo's world. Interactive exhibits showcase his groundbreaking telescopes, notebooks filled with calculations, and personal instruments he used to change our understanding of the Cosmos. The finger sits proudly as a lasting symbol of the scientific martyr whose genius opened our eyes to the heavens."
I know which finger I'd like to give to posterity.