Banu Musa and the Science of Tricks

Uncovering mechanical genius from 1000 years ago

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Banu Musa and the Science of Tricks

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This educational initiative features three of the most prominent and creative scientists of the golden age of Muslim civilisation; The Banu Musa brothers, who lived in 9th-century Baghdad and worked in the fields of mathematics, astronomy and mechanics. It brings to life one of their most famous books The Book of Ingenious Devices ‘Kitab Al-Hiyal: literally The Book of Tricks’, through showcasing some of the most amazing trick devices and machines and how they work.

News©1001inventions.com Arabic Version:
تحميل كتاب بنو موسى وعلم الحيل 

The initiative aims to encourage creativity and innovation in young people and inspire them through exhibits, a live science show, science demonstrations, hands-on workshops and educational resources.

The Arabic term Ilm al-Hiyal or Science of Tricks is the old name broadly used for the science of mechanics. The golden age of Muslim civilisation saw this science grow and expand through the work of scientists like Banu Musa, Al-Muradi, Al-Jazari, Al-Isfizari, Taqi Al-Din and many more.

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The Science of Tricks

The Science of Tricks is the old name for Mechanics. Banu Musa excelled at this science and developed various machines and devices. Their aim was to simplify people’s lives by creating useful and practical devices. But they did not miss including an element of magic and fascination to those devices.

The Book of Ingenious Devices

This is one of the most famous of the Banu Musa books. It contains descriptions of 100 mechanical devices with full illustrations of how each device is designed and developed.

Magical Devices

The Banu Musa book is full of magic; temperamental moody jugs, bottles that take different liquids without mixing them, jars that dispense measured quantities of water automatically, oil lamps with non-diminishing oil, fountains that change their form automatically and many more.

Stories - Trick Devices from A Thousand Years Ago

The Environmentally Friendly Jar

Banu Musa designed this jar so that a measured quantity of water is dispensed when the tap is open. The jar will then stop dispensing water for a period of time before the water starts to flow again until all the water in the jar is used up. The action of this jar resembles that of a modern sink in a public toilet.

Stories - Trick Devices from A Thousand Years Ago

The Haunted Bottle

A uniquely designed bottle with two heads. If water is poured in one and juice in another, the two liquids don’t mix. Then if the liquids are poured out from the bottle, the water comes out of the head in which the juice was poured, and the opposite for the juice – it comes out of the head in which water was poured.

Stories - Trick Devices from A Thousand Years Ago

The Moody Jug

This Banu Musa device has a cool trick. It is temperamental; water comes out of it only when the person requiring water appeals to it. Banu Musa used some basic principles of physics in designing this device.

The initiative that launched at the Kuwait International Book Fair in partnership with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS) is available to feature in events and relevant venues to offer audiences around the world a wondrous journey with the Banu Musa Brothers.

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