Astronomy

A calendar with a year of 360 days divided in 12 months of 27 or 28 days is introduced in India. Since this falls short of an actual year, the Indians add an extra month at regular intervals. It is also possible that Indians use 12 months of 30 days each, a plan that still falls short of the actual length of the year. See also 900 Astronomy; 1582 Astronomy.

About this time the seven-day week is introduced to China by Persians or by merchants from central Asia; before this the most common Chinese week ran ten days.

Chinese sages, who had recognized the Moon's role in controlling tides for about a thousand years, report that the Sun also has a role in controlling tides. See also 300 bce Earth science; 1687 Earth science.

About this time the church of Hosios Loukas is built at Phocis, near the Gulf of Corinth; made of stone, brick, and tile in the shape of a cross within a square, it typifies the fortresslike nature of the churches of Byzantium. See also 532 Construction; 1065 Construction.

The Vikings, led by Leif Ericson (son of Eric the Red) reach America about this time. See also 986 Earth science; 1492 Earth science.

The Arabs introduce the lemon plant to Sicily and Spain.

The people along the coast of Ecuador learn to smelt platinum, although how they obtain the high temperatures required remains a mystery (along with the exact date that the small platinum beads were made). See also 1550 Materials.

Pope Sylvester II (Gerbert) imposes the Arabic numerical system on Christians, including the use of zero. See also 967 Mathematics.

The Al-Quanun ("canon of medicine"), written about this time by Avicenna, is a five-volume treatment of Greek and Arabic medicine. Translated into Latin in 1473, it dominates the teaching of medicine in Europe until the 17th century. See also 900 Medicine & health; 1127 Medicine & health. (See biography.)

Gears become common in the Arab world. They are used with water wheels and water clocks. See also 724 Tools; 1288 Tools.

According to chronicler William of Malmbury, Eilmer [b. c. 981, d. c. 1061], another monk from Malmesbury Abbey in England, attaches wings to his arms and legs to form a glider and launches himself from a tower. He flies some 200 m (660 ft) before crashing, perhaps because his glider was not stabilized by a tail. Eilmer is said to have broken both legs in the crash. See also 1877 Transportation.

History of Science and Technology, edited by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans. Copyright © 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.