Tuesday, March 14, 2006
I'm a couple days late in linking to this piece from Tigerhawk (and read the comments, too) replying to an article in The Independent regarding Muslim innovation of everything from bank checks to the fountain pen. He's unimpressed: The Muslims of invention
The Independent published an article yesterday that tells us "How Islamic inventors changed the world." It is publicity for an exhibition called "1001 Inventions: Discover the Muslim Heritage in Our World" that is beginning a tour of the United Kingdom, starting at the Science Museum in Manchester. Website here.
The Independent's story is an interesting tour of the history of medieval Muslim science. We learn that Muslims invented the bank check ("In the 9th century, a Muslim businessman could cash a cheque in China drawn on his bank in Baghdad"), the windmill, the fountain pen, and the brewing of coffee. On closer reading, however, The Independent's coverage is damnation by faint praise...
