I watched a TV documentary about Stephen Hawking recently on BBC TV.

Similarities were drawn, as is often the case, between the work of Hawking and Galileo, both being renown physicists.

The program pointed out that Stephen Hawking and Galileo Galilee have a date in common. The date is 8th January. In Galileo’s case 1642 and in Stephen’s case 1942.

The coincidence is that Galileo Galilee died on 8th January 1642 and Stephen Hawking was born on 8th January 1942, 300 years to the day after Galileo died.

Galileo was much troubled for his beliefs, amongst others, that the earth rotated around the sun, he was persecuted, threatened with death and after apologising for his erroneous ways was eventually allowed to spend the end of his days under house arrest.

After that lot, if Galileo had decided to reincarnate, I bet he would have chosen to return as someone who did not appear to be a threat.

Hey Presto!

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