The 'First True Scientist'

This is a fascinating brief overview of the work and accomplishment of al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham, which the physicist author has dubbed as the first true scientist.

Popular accounts of the history of science typically suggest that no major scientific advances took place in between the ancient Greeks and the European Renaissance.

But just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science.

Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Ibn al-Haytham stands taller than all the others.

Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method.

I think that most western civilization forgets that during the dark ages in Europe, a lot of significant progress in science and technology were being made in the Middle East and in the East. Muslim scholars during that time have certainly made significant contribution to the body of knowledge that later on was credited to other western scientists.

I hope the BBC series being made here will be shown here in the US eventually, or at least on YouTube. It will be fascinating to learn many other neglected aspect of this part of scientific history.

Zz.