Mechanical elephants, flying machines, and more have touched down in Edmonton this week as part of a new exhibit on Muslim science.
Staff at the Telus World of Science Edmonton opened their new Sultans of Science exhibit on Friday. Appearing for the first time in Western Canada, the travelling exhibit features automatic flutes, elephant clocks and other inventions from the golden age of Islam.
Islam has gotten a bad rap lately due to wars and terrorism, says Frank Florian, director of public programs at the science centre, yet it was Islamic research that inspired much of the European Renaissance. "A lot of the science and technology we use today actually had its origins in Mesopotamia."
The exhibit, produced by the Dubai-based MTE Studios, looks at the discoveries of Islamic researchers from 800 to 1800 A.D. "While the Dark Ages were occurring in Europe," Florian says, "Islamic science was flourishing."
The fall of the Roman Empire quashed scientific research in what is now Europe, says Robert Smith, a science historian at the University of Alberta. Muslim scholars translated, preserved and built on many Greek works during this time to create new innovations. "Between the 8th and 15th centuries, Islamic science was probably the most productive anywhere."
Golden age of science
Islamic researchers were pioneers in many fields, Florian says. Abbas bin Firnas created the first successful flying machine in the 9th century, for example, while Ibn al-Haitham invented the pinhole camera in the 10th.
The exhibit links many fields of research to principles in the Qur'an. The holy book's emphasis on proper diet and cleanliness, for example, led to the creation of the world's first hospital.
The need for accurate calendars for religious ceremonies led Muslim researchers to become expert astronomers. "Even modern-day astronomers will still call stars by their Arabic names," Florian notes. Betelgeuse, the big red star in the shoulder of the constellation Orion, comes from the Arabic word for "armpit."
One name that pops up a lot in the exhibit is Al-Jazari, a brilliant 12th-century engineer who invented complex pumps, automatic flutes and the first crankshaft. "He's a bit like the Leonardo da Vinci of his day," Florian says.
One example of his work is the elephant clock, a reproduction of which is on display. The clock, shaped like an elephant with a temple on its back, incorporates balls, spinning dragons, a bell and an animate scribe to tell the time — all run by a bowl with holes in it.
Researchers like Copernicus would build on this research during the Renaissance, Smith says, during which European science would catch up to and overtake Muslim research.
This exhibit shows how science is a global effort, Florian says. "It's not just one culture or society doing things," he says. "It's the sharing of knowledge that's the important thing."
The exhibit runs until Sept. 6. Call 780-451-3344 for details.
