Tourists are flocking to see a rather gruesome display in Florence, Italy. The Museum of the History of Science has re-opened after years of renovation with a display of two of Galileo’s fingers. These fingers have been added to a pre-existing finger and tooth from the astronomer. The museum has been renamed The Galileo Museum — fitting since he is an actual part of the collection.
A thumb and middle finger were acquired in an auction and “recognized” as being from the scientist. When Galileo died in 1642, his followers honored him by removing his fingers, tooth, and a vertebra as keepsakes.
If you are looking for the vertebra, it is being kept at the University of Padua, where Galileo once taught.
For the story, click here.
I suppose it is a form of worship!
Relics? Italians love ’em.
History of Science reliquaries? The only thing I can think of is the two-part South Park episode with Cartman caught between warring factions of atheists 500 years in the future. http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1012/
Ah, but Buddha, they claim all royalties on this man. He was before his death one of them….
The only thing that would have made the headline funnier is if the museum was located in Vatican City.