Gethin Richards
@gethinrichards.bsky.social
Teacher and author of The Complete History of Science Podcast.
Find the podcast here:
https://thecompletehistoryofscience.buzzsprout.com/
Or any podcasting app (Spotify, Apple, Youtube etc.)
https://buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience
Find the podcast here:
https://thecompletehistoryofscience.buzzsprout.com/
Or any podcasting app (Spotify, Apple, Youtube etc.)
https://buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience
Tycho Brahe first episode now live. So much hard work - hope people enjoy.
June 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Tycho Brahe first episode now live. So much hard work - hope people enjoy.
Somehow, Aristotle even knew the liver of an elephant is four times bigger than an ox’s. This was pretty much right.
But how did he know? Elephants didn’t live in Greece.
The leading theory:
His former student, Alexander the Great, may have sent him one from his conquests in Asia.
But how did he know? Elephants didn’t live in Greece.
The leading theory:
His former student, Alexander the Great, may have sent him one from his conquests in Asia.
June 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Somehow, Aristotle even knew the liver of an elephant is four times bigger than an ox’s. This was pretty much right.
But how did he know? Elephants didn’t live in Greece.
The leading theory:
His former student, Alexander the Great, may have sent him one from his conquests in Asia.
But how did he know? Elephants didn’t live in Greece.
The leading theory:
His former student, Alexander the Great, may have sent him one from his conquests in Asia.
He discovered that the dogfish — a small shark — gives birth to live young.
Not eggs, like most fish. We'd now call them ovoviviparous.
This was ahead of its time and wasn’t confirmed by scientists until the 19th century.
Not eggs, like most fish. We'd now call them ovoviviparous.
This was ahead of its time and wasn’t confirmed by scientists until the 19th century.
June 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
He discovered that the dogfish — a small shark — gives birth to live young.
Not eggs, like most fish. We'd now call them ovoviviparous.
This was ahead of its time and wasn’t confirmed by scientists until the 19th century.
Not eggs, like most fish. We'd now call them ovoviviparous.
This was ahead of its time and wasn’t confirmed by scientists until the 19th century.
Aristotle wasn’t just a philosopher — he was also the world’s first serious zoologist.
More than 2,000 years ago, he began observing animals closely, recording their bodies, habits and behaviour.
🧵 Here are a few of his strangest and most impressive discoveries:
More than 2,000 years ago, he began observing animals closely, recording their bodies, habits and behaviour.
🧵 Here are a few of his strangest and most impressive discoveries:
June 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Aristotle wasn’t just a philosopher — he was also the world’s first serious zoologist.
More than 2,000 years ago, he began observing animals closely, recording their bodies, habits and behaviour.
🧵 Here are a few of his strangest and most impressive discoveries:
More than 2,000 years ago, he began observing animals closely, recording their bodies, habits and behaviour.
🧵 Here are a few of his strangest and most impressive discoveries:
Astrological predictions depended largely on observations of the planets.
Unlike the Sun, Moon and Stars, the planets paths are much harder to track. The planets ‘wander’ from the Greek word for wanderer ‘planen’.
Unlike the Sun, Moon and Stars, the planets paths are much harder to track. The planets ‘wander’ from the Greek word for wanderer ‘planen’.
May 27, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Astrological predictions depended largely on observations of the planets.
Unlike the Sun, Moon and Stars, the planets paths are much harder to track. The planets ‘wander’ from the Greek word for wanderer ‘planen’.
Unlike the Sun, Moon and Stars, the planets paths are much harder to track. The planets ‘wander’ from the Greek word for wanderer ‘planen’.
4/
The MUL.APIN tablets were the records of the priests’ observations of the night sky.
They include observations of constellations for example, The Old Man.
The MUL.APIN tablets were the records of the priests’ observations of the night sky.
They include observations of constellations for example, The Old Man.
May 27, 2025 at 5:44 PM
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The MUL.APIN tablets were the records of the priests’ observations of the night sky.
They include observations of constellations for example, The Old Man.
The MUL.APIN tablets were the records of the priests’ observations of the night sky.
They include observations of constellations for example, The Old Man.
These clay tablets from 700 B.C. contain the world’s oldest set of surviving scientific data.
They are called the MUL.APIN tablets and were created in the ancient civilisation of Babylon.
Let’s talk about the first stargazers who turned sky-watching into science. 👇
They are called the MUL.APIN tablets and were created in the ancient civilisation of Babylon.
Let’s talk about the first stargazers who turned sky-watching into science. 👇
May 27, 2025 at 5:44 PM
These clay tablets from 700 B.C. contain the world’s oldest set of surviving scientific data.
They are called the MUL.APIN tablets and were created in the ancient civilisation of Babylon.
Let’s talk about the first stargazers who turned sky-watching into science. 👇
They are called the MUL.APIN tablets and were created in the ancient civilisation of Babylon.
Let’s talk about the first stargazers who turned sky-watching into science. 👇
Make a plot on different days through the year and the shape of the curve changes.
For example it is shortest (1) on the Summer solstice when the sun is close to directly overhead. It is longest (7) on the winter solstice when the sun is lowest in the sky. These patterns repeat every 365 days.
For example it is shortest (1) on the Summer solstice when the sun is close to directly overhead. It is longest (7) on the winter solstice when the sun is lowest in the sky. These patterns repeat every 365 days.
May 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Make a plot on different days through the year and the shape of the curve changes.
For example it is shortest (1) on the Summer solstice when the sun is close to directly overhead. It is longest (7) on the winter solstice when the sun is lowest in the sky. These patterns repeat every 365 days.
For example it is shortest (1) on the Summer solstice when the sun is close to directly overhead. It is longest (7) on the winter solstice when the sun is lowest in the sky. These patterns repeat every 365 days.
This is a shadow plot made with a Gnomon. Each point is made to show the length of the shadow at a certain time of day. The different curve show the variation throughout the day.
May 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This is a shadow plot made with a Gnomon. Each point is made to show the length of the shadow at a certain time of day. The different curve show the variation throughout the day.
Interested in the History of Science?
I am going to start a series of threads giving a brief history of science from the beginning.
And where else to start but in Ancient Egypt... 🧵
I am going to start a series of threads giving a brief history of science from the beginning.
And where else to start but in Ancient Egypt... 🧵
May 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Interested in the History of Science?
I am going to start a series of threads giving a brief history of science from the beginning.
And where else to start but in Ancient Egypt... 🧵
I am going to start a series of threads giving a brief history of science from the beginning.
And where else to start but in Ancient Egypt... 🧵