Fun Facts – 26 November 2013

did you know wider
did you know wider

Fun Fact #1

In 1610, two of science's great minds, Galileo (in Italy) and Johannes Kepler (in Prague) would often share discoveries using coded messages.

The first discovery Galileo shared was that Saturn had rings. Kepler misinterpreted the anagrammatic message to mean that Mars had two moons. Galileo's second discovery was that Venus has phases like our moon. Kepler misinterpreted this to mean that Jupiter has a giant red spot.

Amazingly enough, both of Kepler's misinterpretations turned out to be true. Though they could not be proven until 200 years later.

Fun Fact #2

In 399 BC, Socrates was charged with not believing in the gods and corrupting the youth with his teachings.

In Ancient Athens, once a guilty verdict has been reached, both the accuser and the defendant would make speeches proposing what the penalty should be. Socrates' proposal was that the government should give him free dinners for the rest of his life for all the good that he did for society.

The court instead held a vote between giving Socrates a fine to pay or putting him to death. The verdict was that Socrates was to be put to death.