What is it about?
We apply a physical and historical analysis to a passage by the medieval scholar Michael Scot concerning multiple rainbows, a meteorological phenomenon whose existence has only been acknowledged in recent history. We survey various types of physical models to best decipher Scot’s description of four parallel rainbows as well as a linguistic analysis of Scot’s special etymology. The conclusions have implications on Scot’s whereabouts at the turn of the 13th century.
Featured Image
Photo by David Brooke Martin on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This shows there is a good chance that Michael Scot met the Tuareg in Morocco and collected the mythological lore about multiple rainbows, a physical meteorological phenomenon that was not fully appreciated until the 20th and 21st centuries.
Perspectives
The medieval ages had more scientific knowledge than we realize. This article like others in its vein puts some light into what is otherwise the dark ages.
Dr Tony Cyril Scott
RWTH-Aachen University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Michael Scot and the Four Rainbows, Transversal International Journal for the Historiography of Science, June 2017, Transversal: International Journal for the Historiography of Science,
DOI: 10.24117/2526-2270.2017.i2.18.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
