Galileo Galilei (plato.standford.edu)Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) has always played a key role in any history of science, as well as many histories of philosophy. He is a—if not the—central figure of the Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century. His work in physics (or “natural philosophy”), astronomy, and the methodology of science still evoke debate after more than 400 years. His role in promoting the Copernican theory and his travails and trials with the Roman Church are stories that still require re-telling. This article attempts to provide an overview of these aspects of Galileo’s life and work, but does so by focusing in a new way on his arguments concerning the nature of matter.
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Norman D. Vaughan (Wikipedia)Colonel Norman Dane Vaughan (December 18, 1905 – December 23, 2005) was an American dogsled driver and explorer whose first claim to fame was participating in Admiral Byrd’s first expedition to the South Pole. He also ran dog teams in a professional capacity as part of a search and rescue unit in World War II, in sporting events like the Olympics and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and in three Presidential Inauguration ceremonies.
The Norman Vaughan 100th Birthday Antarctic Expedition (normanvaughan.com)Admiral Byrd named a mountain in Antarctica after Norman Vaughan. In December of 1994, Norman set food on the Mount Vaughan summit 3 days before his 89th birthday! Now he has another dream that keeps him going and he is sure to achieve: to return to Mount Vaughan for his 100th birthday!