The Amazing Real

Galileo Galilei, as per Biography, was born in Italy in February 1564. He had five siblings and was the oldest child, born to a musician, Vincenzo Galilei, and his wife, Giulia Ammannati. Ten years later, Galileo shifted base with his family to Florence where he first started studying at the Camaldolese monastery in Vallombrosa. As per Gutenberg, the budding researcher had an inspiring role model at home — his father, who was extremely talented and skilled at math, in addition to music. 

In fact, Vincenzo even wrote many treatises in a bid to further explore his love for music and is believed to have shaped his son's outlook and approach towards research. As outlined in the book, Galileo: A Life, by James Reston Jr., Vincenzo once said something rather powerful that most definitely was aligned with his son's actions later in life. He said, "It appears to me that they who rely simply on the weight of authority to prove any assertion, without searching out the arguments to support it, act absurdly." He added that he wished to be free and think for himself without worrying about anything else.

Unfortunately, Vincenzo's stubbornness also affected his family and was the reason for arguments with his wife, who wanted him to focus more on Galileo and his siblings, especially in terms of making sure that their basic needs were met. All in all, Galileo most definitely had an interesting childhood replete with a myriad of experiences.