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Apr 23, 2024 17 tweets 8 min read Read on X
The Greatest Minds to Have Ever Lived (A Four-Part Series) - Part 3.

Here are luminaries who have laid the foundations for the arts, philosophy, and the sciences that shaped our world, some even at cost of their lives.

Let's look at how they were immortalized in art.🧵 Credit: https://memoirsofeinstein.blogspot.com/p/home-page.html
"Fables should be taught as fables, myths as myths, and miracles as poetic fancies. To teach superstitions as truths is a most terrible thing." - Hypatia

Hypatia was an influential Hellenistic Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician in Alexandria. Her teachings and works, although largely lost, contributed to the development of mathematics and philosophy.Hypatia by Julius Kronberg, 1889
By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, h"The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection."
- Michelangelo

Michelangelo, an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance, is celebrated for his immense artistic versatility and detail in works such as the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the statue of David.By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125633750
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
- Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein, a renowned theoretical physicist, developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. His famous equation, E=mc², has had a profound impact on the scientific understanding of energy and mass.The famous image of Einstein taken by United Press photographer Arthur Sasse in 1951
Fibonacci (Leonardo of Pisa) was an Italian mathematician who introduced the Fibonacci sequence to the Western world through his book "Liber Abaci." His work significantly influenced European mathematics.

The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two preceding ones, typically starting with 0 and 1, and is famous for appearing in various natural phenomena, from the arrangement of leaves on a stem to the branching of trees and the spiral patterns of shells.Monument of Leonardo da Pisa (Fibonacci), by Giovanni Paganucci, completed in 1863, in the Camposanto di Pisa. By Hans-Peter Postel - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1739679
"To play without passion is inexcusable!" - Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer and pianist, is regarded as a crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music. He is known for his innovative compositions, including the Ninth Symphony and the Moonlight Sonata.Beethoven with the manuscript of the Missa solemnis Credit: Joseph Karl Stieler - Google Arts & Culture
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." - Marie Curie

Marie Curie, a pioneering physicist and chemist, was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields - physics and chemistry - for her work on radioactivity.Marie Curie Monument in Lublin This file was created and uploaded by User:SzaterTen plik został stworzony i dodany przez Wikipedystę:SzaterSzater Wikimedia CommonsPolska Wikipedia - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2898616
Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk and scientist, is now known as the father of modern genetics for his research on the inheritance of traits in pea plants. His work laid the foundation for the modern understanding of genetics and heredity. In 1910, this statue of Mendel was erected "by the friends of science." It orginally stood in Mendel Square in Brno. The statue now stands in the garden at the Mendelianum, the Mendel Museum, in Brno. Credit: https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16183-Gallery-4-Statue-of-Gregor-Mendel.html
"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise."
- Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. His theories have profoundly influenced the humanities and social sciences.Photographic portrait of Sigmund Freud, signed by the sitter ("Prof. Sigmund Freud") By Max Halberstadt - https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=6116407, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64082854
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right." - Henry Ford

Henry Ford was an American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company, and the sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T revolutionized transportation and American industry.Time magazine, January 14, 1935
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration."
- Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was known for his groundbreaking contributions to the development of alternating current (AC) electrical systems, including the AC motor and transformer, which have had lasting impacts on electrical power distribution.Room 3327 of the Hotel New Yorker, where Tesla died
"The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Perhaps the most influential composer from the classical era, Mozart is known for his mastery across all musical genres of his time. His extensive body of work, including operas, symphonies, and chamber music, remains popular and influential.Mozart family, c. 1780 (della Croce); the portrait on the wall is of Mozart's mother.
"That brain of mine is something more than merely mortal; as time will show." - Ada Lovelace

An English mathematician and writer, Ada Lovelace is often considered the first computer programmer for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She theorized a method for the engine to repeat a series of instructions, a process known as looping.Portrait of Ada by the British painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter (1836)
"Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated." - Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin was an English chemist who is often overlooked but whose work on X-ray diffraction was critical in the discovery of the DNA double helix. Her photographs of DNA allowed Watson and Crick to create their famous model of DNA.Credit: Rosalind Franklin, 1953 is a photograph by Illustration by Jody Hewgill for TIME
Elizabeth I, the Queen of England and Ireland, is celebrated as one of the greatest monarchs for her adept governance and the establishment of the Elizabethan Age, a period marked by the flourishing of English drama, led by playwrights such as Shakespeare, and the expansion of global maritime power.

Her political acumen in navigating complex domestic and international challenges, including religious divisions and threats from powerful adversaries like Spain, solidified her legacy as a shrewd and effective leader.Portrait commemorating the defeat of the Spanish Armada, depicted in the background. Elizabeth's hand rests on the globe, symbolising her international power. One of three known versions of the "Armada Portrait".
"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world." - Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist, is renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization. His work in disease prevention has saved countless lives.Louis Pasteur in his laboratory, painting by A. Edelfeldt in 1885
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More from @CultureExploreX

Jul 12
“Solomon, I have outdone thee!” — Emperor Justinian.

So why did Renaissance thinkers call his era the "Dark Ages"?

What if they got it completely wrong?
Let’s dismantle the biggest myth in history. 🧵👇 The Hagia Sophia in its current form was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian.
When people hear “Dark Ages,” they picture a world of ignorance, plague, and collapse.

No science. No progress. Just decay.
But that’s not what really happened.

The term “Dark Ages” isn’t just inaccurate, it’s propaganda. San Vitale (Ravenna) Photo by Phantom65 on flickr
In 536 AD, the sky literally darkened. A mysterious fog covered much of Southern Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.

This foreboding change was recorded by the Byzantine historian Procopius. “For the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year.”

Crops failed.
Plague followed. Millions died.

Scientists now believe massive volcanic eruptions triggered the chaos.

But the era didn’t die, it adapted.Photo by Maggie Evans  freeyork.org/photography/watch-the-explosive-footage-of-a-recent-volcanic-eruption-in-iceland/
Dramatic storm clouds
Sunrise eruption at Volcano Fuego in Guatemala
Read 21 tweets
Jul 8
Italy doesn’t just have art.
Italy is art.

And nowhere is that clearer than in its churches, some built to honor God, others to display power, and a few to do both.

Here are 17 churches in Italy that will make you question what humans are even capable of. 🧵👇 Duomo di Siena, Italy Credit: @ValentyneDreams
1. Duomo di Milano – Milan

It took 579 years to build.

A forest of spires.
3,400 statues.
And on top? A golden Virgin Mary watching over the city.

This is what happens when ambition and spirituality unite. Credit: @Anc_Aesthetics
2. Santa Maria del Fiore – Florence

It changed architecture forever.

Brunelleschi’s dome was an unsolvable puzzle until he solved it without scaffolding.

No one had seen anything like it since the Pantheon. And 600 years later, no one’s matched it. Credit: Travel Destinations, Tips & Inspiration
Read 21 tweets
Jul 6
Most people think of mausoleums as tombs.

But the best of them are something more, Cathedrals of memory, ambition, and love carved in stone.

Here are 22 that left the world in awe and one that hides a deadly secret. 🧵 Baldacchino by Gian Lorenzo Bernini was erected over Saint Peter's tomb, it was designed at the request of Pope Urban VIII around 1624 AD.  Credit: @histories_arch on X  St.Peter's Basilica contains the tombs of many Popes also.
1. Basilica of Saint-Denis – France

Where the French kings go to sleep.

Gothic architecture was born here. Stained glass blazing like fire, tombs of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI beneath your feet. Image
2. Taj Mahal – Agra

Shah Jahan built it for love.
The world never forgot.

Symmetrical gardens, flawless white marble, and haunting beauty.

But don’t miss the tragic twist: he was buried next to her, off-center, breaking perfect symmetry. Credit: @The_Earth______
Read 25 tweets
Jul 5
Most people visit Rome for the Colosseum or the Vatican.

But Rome is a city of cathedrals.

And these 18 churches aren’t just places of worship, they’re where architecture, power, and beauty collided to shape Western civilization.

You won’t believe #3 and #4. 🧵 Basilica de Santa Maria Maggiore, Roma, Italia. Credit: juans83
1. Sant’Agnese in Agone

Francesco Borromini’s boldest move.

He took geometry, crushed it, and turned it into emotion.
Step inside and you’ll feel space bend. Image
2. Santa Maria Maddalena

Baroque at its most unhinged.
Designed by Carlo Fontana and Giuseppe Sardi who curved the façade like it was dancing.

Don’t blink. The walls almost move.
Read 21 tweets
Jul 5
They say ancient epics ignored women. But what if that’s wrong?

What if the most powerful minds in early literature weren’t warriors but women?

Let’s talk about the forgotten heroines of East and West: The Shahnameh and The Odyssey. 🧵👇 Penelope and the Suitors 1900 tapestry by Victor John Robertson
One is Persian.
The other Greek.

One written by Ferdowsi. 120,000 lines.
The other by Homer. 12,000 lines.

Different worlds. Same question:
What role did women play in shaping the epic imagination? Image
Western scholars often claimed Persian women were passive. One even wrote:
“Such figures as Penelope… cannot be found in the Persian epic.”

But we are going to put that theory to the test. Atusa Shahbanu Credit: Hedayat Bazafkan
Read 18 tweets
Jul 3
Tomorrow is July 4th. Independence Day.

We’ll hear about Lexington. Muskets. War. But remember this:

The American Revolution didn’t begin with a gunshot; it began with a boycott.

Before the first shot fired, ordinary Americans had already overthrown British rule. 🧵 Detail from Washington Crossing the Delaware, an 1851 portrait by Emanuel Leutze depicting Washington and Continental Army troops crossing the river prior to the Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776.
From 1765 to 1775, colonists ran a full-blown civil resistance campaign.

They shut down courts.
Refused to import goods.
Built parallel governments.

It wasn’t protest for show. It was rebellion in plain sight. Spirit of '76 by Archibald Willard
Britain passed the Stamp Act in 1765.

Americans didn’t riot.
They simply refused to comply.

Printers ran papers without stamps.
Lawyers stopped using courts.
Ports either closed or defied British orders. Burning of Stamp Act, Boston. 1 photomechanical print (postcard) : color.
Read 22 tweets

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