Galileo Galilei was a famous Italian scientist born in 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He is renowned for his discoveries in astronomy, including proving that the Earth revolves around the sun. Galileo made many important discoveries in physics, including establishing that the pendulum swings at a regular rate independent of its arc and proving that heavier objects do not fall faster than lighter objects by dropping objects from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He taught mathematics and astronomy at the University of Padua from 1592 to 1610, making groundbreaking observations and discoveries during this time through his improvements to the telescope.