Source: IIP-Digital
The traveling exhibition 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization, at the California Science Center in Los Angeles through 2011, reveals how science and technology flourished in the Islamic world from the seventh to the 17th century. Islamic culture reached from Spain to China, nurturing innovators of many faiths. Here, a museum visitor examines a model of a massive ship commanded by Zheng He, a 15th-century Chinese Muslim navigator. For size comparison, a to-scale model of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria is shown alongside it.
A 13th-century mechanical engineer, Al-Jazari, designed many items that still have modern-day applications — including his crank mechanisms and the hydropower system that runs his famous Elephant Clock, seen here. According to Boston University’s Farouk El-Baz, who worked with NASA to plan scientific exploration of the moon, “Al-Jazari’s inventions continue to bolster our modern transportation systems. His crank mechanisms were engineering marvels at his time as well as today; they continue to drive every plane, train and automobile on the planet.”
Categories: Americas, Islam, Muslim Heritage, Religion and Science, Science and Technology