I was a weird kid, into coding and science. For example, I used to always carry with me a copy of a book entitled “How, where, when?”. A fantastic book with stories of Egypt, the universe, and physics. The story that I liked the most was that about the famous experiment of Galileo who supposedly threw two spheres of different weight from the Tower of Pisa to show that they would touch the ground at the same time. I told everybody that story, but nobody believed me. — Galileo said that! –, I would cry.
Galileo was a smart guy with a long beard — He basically studied everything.
An Italian polymath, he was born in Pisa in 1564 from a large family of six. He is known for his work in astronomy, physics, engineering, and mathematics.
Galileo made substantial contributions to the study of speed, gravity, motion, relativity; he invented the thermoscope and various military devices. He used the telescope for the first time to observe the sky, discovering the phases of Venus, the four largest moons of Jupiter, and the sunspots.
— Hi! My name is Arturo, I am a scientist and a writer. —
— Hi! My name is Galileo, I am the father of the scientific method. You know that forgotten thing that you use to prove your bizarre theories? Yup, that one. —
Galileo was a genius. And as usual, when you are a genius, not everybody likes you.
For instance, Pope Urban VIII was pretty pissed off with Galileo because in his Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, a real scientific dissertation that was immensely popular — Sort of like Stephen Hawking’s books –, Galileo would insist in supporting the Copernican theory according to which the Sun, and not the Earth, is the center of the Universe.
— Sorry, Gal! Can I call you Gal?! — the Pope would say, — You are wrong! Look at the sky! The sun is moving! —
The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go
Galileo Galilei
But Galileo was strong and held his ground. So, the Pope charged him with vehement suspicion of heresy and forced him to recant. With his beard getting longer, poor Galileo spent most of the rest of his life in house arrest.
Galileo lived in several cities: Pisa, Florence, and Padua. Here, he enjoyed some protection against the Church by the Republic of Venice. He really liked Padua — The best years of my entire life, Galileo wrote once to a friend.

Three places to spot Galileo in PADUA
Padua is a marvelous city in the North of Italy, not far from Venice. The city is the setting for most of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and Oscar Wilde’s The Duchess of Padua.
Padua radiates culture and knowledge, with a university that through the years has attracted several notable personalities. Everybody around 1500 wanted to study there: Copernicus (yes! Galileo’s friend), Elena Cornaro Piscopia (the first woman in the world to receive a doctor of philosophy degree), Giacomo Casanova (yes, the seducer), and many others.
Padua is a city full of history with many points of interest, like the Basilica di Sant’Antonio, Piazza dei Signori, and the breathtaking Cappella degli Scrovegni. Totally worth a visit.
In all this beauty, Galileo’s heritage has survived until today.
— Galileo Galilei’s House
In Via Galileo Galilei 17, a small street in the city center of Padua, you will find the house where Galileo lived between 1601 and 1610. Legend tells us that Galileo used to observe the sky from the window and the garden of this house — Oh, what is that? –, ending up discovering the moons of Jupiter.
— Biblioteca del seminario vescovile
Remember that book we were talking about before? The Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems? The book that made the Pope mad? Well, the first edition of that book, containing Galileo Galilei’s original notes and corrections, is housed in this library.
— Palazzo del Bo
This is a real gem. I absolutely recommend a visit! The building has been the seat of the University of Padua since 1493 and has attracted students and professors from all around Europe. Galileo taught here for about 18 years (from 1592 to 1610). You can still see his desk and the magnificent Aula Magna. Il Bo, as Padovani call it, also houses the world’s oldest anatomical theatre — According to some historical rumors, Galileo contributed to its design.

And now: spritz time!
Palazzo del Bo, Galileo’s house, and the Biblioteca are all located in the old city center of Padua. You can easily reach them on foot, walking through little streets, 14th-century Palazzos, and noisy Italians.
To recover from that, from the Italians I mean… What about a Spritz in Piazza dei Signori?
Around 7 pm, join the Padovani and try this simple cocktail — 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 Aperol, 1/3 sparkling water. It is cheap, sweet, and goes straight to your head.
After a few of those, you won’t need Galileo’s telescopes to see some stars.
— WRITTEN IN PADUA
I took the “infernal window” photo in a bar in Berlin.
All the other photos were taken during my trip to Padua. For more check on
READ | THINK | SHARE
- Multiscale Simulations of DNA: From Quantum Effects To Mesoscopic ProcessesMultiscale simulations of DNA to tackle a challenge of epic proportions: Embark on a computational journey into the essence of our being.
- Do We Really Need Quantum Computing in Chemical R&D?Short answer: yes, we do need quantum computing in chemical R&D. The Long answer is what this story is about.
- Quantum Biology: The Fuzzy Connection Between Quantum Mechanics and Living ThingsWhen you really get down to it, all living things, including humans, are just excitations of the quantum fields. Ergo quantum biology.
- Let’s Fight Climate Change With The Computational Design of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF’s)The computational design of MOFs to improve stability, mechanical properties, and catalytic capabilities can help save the planet.
- From Earth to the Cosmos: How Hydrogen Bonds Shape LifeThey used to call me Dr. Hydrogen Bond. I was such a fan. Now, it turns out, hydrogen bonds might just be the secret ingredient of life.
- Quantum Nanoreactor Simulations of The Early Universe: The Dawn of Interstellar ChemistryWhat started this whole chemical shebang that we call nature? Quantum nanoreactor simulations of the early universe try to answer.
- Predicting The Hydrogen Dissociation Energy: The 100-Year Battle of Quantum Chemistry vs. ExperimentAfter a century of predictions on the hydrogen dissociation energy, is it now time to freak out and question the fundamental laws of physics?
- Computational Chemistry 2043: A Quantum Peep into the FutureYou wake up and brew yourself a refreshing cup of coffee. Your calendar says it’s 2043. Time to run your daily computational chemistry simulations.
- Beyond The Stars: Astrochemistry’s Hunt For The Molecules of LifeAstrochemistry has discovered over 200 molecular species in the void of space. But the hunt for the molecules of life is not over yet.
- The Evolution of Quantum Chemistry: From Pencil and Paper to Quantum ComputingHow did quantum chemistry evolve from the early days when Schrödinger wrote down his equation to today’s quantum computing hype?
- Cosmic Clues: 5 Books to Understand the UniverseLooking for books to understand the universe? Here 5 captivating reads that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew.
- Quantum Climate Challenge 2023: The Leap Towards a Greener PlanetCan quantum chemistry running on quantum computers help the fight against climate change? Enter Deloitte’s Quantum Climate Challenge 2023.
- The Kafka Paradox: Debunking BS Writing MythsWriting is an urgency and the writer is someone who feels that urgency. If the writer doesn’t write, something within them will die.
- Holy Crap, Did We Just Discover a New Type of Chemical Bond?The true story of how I went from almost having to leave Berlin to contributing to the discovery of the anion-pi Interactions in proteins.
- On a Multidimensional Adventure to the City of PetraIn a higher-dimensional universe, you have always been born, you have always been falling in love, you have always been dying.
From Quantum Chemistry To Stories
From Atoms to Words
A collection of my thoughts and musings on science, writing, and the intersection of the two.
