DISCOVERIES & INVENTIONS BY MUSLIMS 2

11. Algebra was named after al-Khwarizmis book. Al-Jabr wa-al-Muqabilah, much of whose contents are still in use.

12. Al-Zahrawis scalpels, bone saws, forceps, fine scissors for eye surgery and many of the 200 instruments he devised are recognizable to a modern surgeon.

13. Al-Biruni made observations on plants and discovered that flowers have 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8 petals, and never 7 or 9.

14. A thousand years before the Wright brothers, a Muslim engineer name Abbas ibn Firnas made several attempts to construct a flying machine.

15. Ibn-Khaldun (1332-1406 A.D.) wrote a comprehensive world history and geography. He discussed the effects of the environment on humans so he is known as one of the first environmental determinists.

16. In the 13th century A.D., a Muslim medic named Ibn Nafis described the circulation of the blood, 300 years before William Harvey discovered it.

17. Through the Chinese invented saltpetre gunpowder, and used it in their fireworks, it was the Arabs who worked out that it could be purified using potassium nitrate for military use.

18. Al Jazari had more than 50 mechanical inventions, including the combination lock.

19. Quilting came the the West via the Crusaders. They saw it used by Muslim warriors, who wore straw-filled quilted canvas shirts instead of armor.

20. Chickenpox was also first identified by Al-Razi, who clearly distinguished it from smallpox and measles.

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