Path-Breaking Discoveries of The Renaissance Era

By Sonakshi Kandhari

February 24, 2023

What is Renaissance?

The word ‘renaissance’ is a French word that means ‘rebirth’. There was a shift in the mindset, and men started to question the world around them. This resulted in revolutionary innovations in the fields of science, literature, philosophy, mathematics and art.

Image source: Pexels

Pencil: A Tool for Knowledge

It was invented by an Italian couple named Simonio and Lyndiana Bernacotti in the year 1560. It resulted from the discovery that graphite could be stored in hollow wood. Initially used only by carpenters, it was oval in shape. To prevent its constant rolling, the present hexagon-shaped one came into being.

Printing Press: The Information Carrier

It was named  Gutenberg press after ‘Johannes Gutenberg’, the scientist who created it in 1436. The press was made by combining movable panes of metal type with a pressing machine. This made information transfer easier because the reproduction of books, magazines, and newspapers was cost-effective and quick.

Microscope: For a World View

Zacharias Janssen, a teenager of the Renaissance era, created a compound microscope with his father, Hans Janssen. The microscope was conceived by the father and created by the son in 1590. It is equipped with two lenses, one to capture the image and another to magnify the object in question.

Telescope :A Blessing For The Space World

Hans Lippershy, a spectacle marker of Holland, was the first one to develop this in the year 1608. The prime function of this object was ‘to see things as if they were nearby’. Galileo Galilei made an updated version of it in 1609, with which he could study the universe closely.

Steam Engine: For A Progressive Tomorrow

Thomas Savery  made a mark in history with the steam engine he launched in 1698. The purpose of the machine was to pump out water and the process was called ‘water by fire’.It was not the most powerful version of the machine but it worked as a roadmap for the future ones.

Wallpaper: For An Artistic Touch

Paper became available when the first paper mill was established in England in 1496. This accessibility prompted the creation of wallpaper in a variety of designs and patterns. During that time, wallpapers were made with stencils, hand-painted designs and wood block prints.

Match Stick: The Fire Igniter

In the year 1680, a physicist from Ireland named Robert Boyle discovered that rubbing phosphorus and sulphur together ignited a fire. This theory was applied to the process of inventing the matchstick. However this form of match sticks was not in its usable form; the original ones were invented by John Walker in 1827.

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