Prof. John Heilbron: Galileo's Ghost (1643)

This week we're heading to 1643 - a year of conflict and strife in the English Civil War.

Our guest is the distinguished historian of science, Professor John Heilbron. Heilbron opted to travel back to Royalist Oxford, a university city teeming with action.

Amid it all he finds a stranglely unstudied history lurking in the colleges. It's a story that is captured in a painting of a young scholar and his tutor, who sits beside a copy of Galileo's Dialogues. 

See the painting discussed in this episode here.

The characters and stories in this episode feature in JL Heilbron's new book, The Ghost of Galileo, which has been recently published by Oxford University Press.

For much, much more, head to our website: tttpodcast.com

Show notes

Scene One: Sir John Bankes arrives in Oxford, probably in February of 1643

Scene Two: Summer 1643. Young John Bankes arrives in Oxford to begin his studies at Oriol College

Scene Three: The painter Francis Cleyn comes to Oxford on business.

Memento: Three copies of the original edition of Galileo’s Dialogue (current market value $1m each)

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People/Social

Presenter: John Hillman

Interview: Violet Moller

Guest: Professor John Heilbron

Production: Maria Nolan

Podcast partner: Colorgraph

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