Two science histories dissect the transfer of knowledge between the Greco–Islamic and European civilizations, and put right the impression that the flow was one way, explains Yasmin Khan.

BOOK REVIEWED

• Aladdin’s Lamp: How Greek Science Came to Europe Through the Islamic World by John Freely
• Science and Islam: A History by Ehsan Masood

It has been widely accepted that the Islamic civilization had merely a bridging role in preserving the wealth of inherited ancient Greek knowledge ready for future consumption by the West. This pervasive belief, now known to be a damaging distortion of history, is explored in two new books.

By Yasmin Khan

Source: http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html

Download full article here – Courtesy of Yasmin Khan