Top 10 ancient Arabic scientists. The changing face of numerals: Brahmi numerals from India (top); Arabic-Indic numerals, developed and popularised by al-Khwarizmi; and the numerals we use today (bottom) Credit: Science and Islam, Icon Books Ltd SYDNEY: When asked about history’s most influential scientists, many people talk of Einstein, Darwin, Galileo or Newton. But few will mention how these European scientists were indebted to their predecessors: Arabic scholars who progressed science and technology while Europe was in a cultural decline during the Dark Ages (5th – 15th century). The passing of the science baton is often overlooked due to the conflict of the Crusades and “it’s possible, too, that many scholars in the Renaissance later played down or even disguised their connection to the Middle East for both political and religious reasons,” says Ehsan Masood, who wrote the book Science and Islam. 10.
Hassan Ibn Al-Haitham, MathematicianBasra, Iraq (965 – 1040) 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 1. COSMOS magazine | The science of everything. ScienceAlert - Australia & NZ - News. ScienceNetwork WA - More positive action needed to reverse science teachers shortage.