Galileo Galilei: Science vs. faith
[first paragraph of article] Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), professor of mathematics at the University of Padua from 1592 to 1610, was a pillar in the history of our University and a symbol of freedom for research and teaching, well stated in the university motto ‘‘Universa Universis Patavina Libertas’’ (Total freedom in Padua, open to all the world). He invented the experimental method, based on evidence and calculation (‘‘science is measure’’) and was able, by using the telescope, to confirm the Copernican heliocentric theory, a challenge to the Bible. Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), in his book ‘‘The Problems of Philosophy’’ stated: ‘‘Almost everything that distinguishes modern world from earlier centuries is attributable to science, which achieved the most spectacular triumphs in the seventeenth century. Together with Harvey, Newton and Keplero, Galileo was a protagonist of this scientific revolution in the late Renaissance’’.
Origin and development of modern medicine at the University of Padua and the role of the “Serenissima” Republic of Venice
[first paragraph of article] The University of Padua Medical School played a fundamental role in the history of medicine. Padua is a very old town, probably one of the oldest in North Italy. Traditional legend tells that the Trojan prince Antenore founded Padua in 1183 BC. At the beginning of the Roman Empire, Padua was an important town, both for its strategic position as an ultimate defence point against barbarian populations of North Europe and for its famous horse breeding, which made it the main supplier of horses to the Roman army. In the late Middle Ages, even before the rule of Venice, Padua was a prosperous city state adhering to the values of tolerance, civilization and democracy. During that era, Padua was particularly famous for its school of civil and religious law, which was the cornerstone for the upcoming university.
Osteological and molecular identification of Brucellosis in ancient Butrint, Albania.
Ancient skeletal remains can harbor unique information about past civilizations at both the morphological and molecular levels. For instance, a number of diseases manifest in bone, some of which have been confirmed through DNA analysis, verifying their presence in ancient populations. In this study, anthropological analysis of skeletal remains from the ancient Albanian city of Butrint identified individuals with severe circular lytic lesions on their thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Differential diagnosis suggested that the lesions resulted from pathologies known to affect these skeletal regions, such as tuberculosis (TB) or brucellosis. Relevant bones of two adolescent males from the 10th to 13th century AD that displayed the lesions, along with unaffected individuals, were collected in the field. Genetic screening of the skeletal samples for TB was repeatedly negative, thus additional testing for Brucella spp.-bacteria of livestock and the causative agent of brucellosis in humans-was conducted. Two Brucella DNA markers, the IS6501 insertion element and Bcsp31 gene, amplified from the affected vertebrae and/or ribs, whereas all unaffected individuals and control samples were negative. Subsequent DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of the brucellar IS6501 insertion element. On the basis of the skeletal lesions, negative tests for TB, and positive Brucella findings, we report a confirmed occurrence of brucellosis in archaeologically recovered human bone. These findings suggest that brucellosis has been endemic to the area since at least the Middle Ages.