Mathematical Treasure: Galileo's Two New Sciences

The following image is the title page of Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Concerning Two New Sciences; or Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche intorno à due nuoue Scienze by Galileo Galilei. This work was published in 1638 and was Galileo’s final published work.

The two “new sciences” discussed in the book are strength of materials and kinematics.  The book consists of four dialogues among Salviati, Sagredo and Simplicio.  The images below show some dialogue from early in the book.  The image on the left is from the original Italian version while the one on the right is from a 1730 English translation.

Here is the title page of the 1730 English translation.

If one visits the Linda Hall Library in person, it is possible to compare these two versions side-by-side.  The images below show how Galileo presented the science of the strength of materials as related to the law of the lever.

Here is another image from Dialogue II.

Below is a page about the center of gravity of a parabolic conoid.

Images and information about another copy of Galileo’s Two New Sciences are also available in Convergence.

A complete digital scan of the Italian 1638 edition of Galileo’s Two New Sciences is available in the Linda Hall Library Digital Collections. The call number is QA33 .G2 1638. A scan of the 1730 English translation is also available in the Linda Hall Library Digital Collections. The call number is QA33 .G22 1730.

Images in this article are courtesy of the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology and used with permission. The Linda Hall Library makes available all existing digital images from its collection that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose under the terms of a Creative Commons License CC by 4.0. The Library’s preferred credit line for all use is: “Courtesy of The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology.”

Reference

Drake, Stillman. “Galilei, Galileo.” In Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by C. C. Gillespie, v:237–249. New York: Scribner, 1972.

Index to Mathematical Treasures