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What did Galileo Galilei invent besides improving the telescope?
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Galileo
Galileo, oil painting by Justus Sustermans, c. 1637, in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
In addition to his significant improvements to the telescope, Galileo Galilei is credited with several other inventions and designs:
- Thermometer: Galileo invented an early version of the thermometer.1
- Hydrostatic Balance: During his early career, he designed a new form of hydrostatic balance used for weighing small quantities, which he detailed in his treatise La bilancetta ("The Little Balance").2
- Proportional Compass: He devised a proportional compass, also known as a sector, which he sold to students and others to assist with mathematical calculations and fortification planning.2