The Timbuktu Scholar Who Calculated the Width of the Red Sea

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable astronomical achievements of Muhammad al-Wangari, the 17th-century Timbuktu scholar whose work 'Mir'at al-'Alam' (The Mirror of the World) contained sophisticated calculations of celestial phenomena, including the latitude of Timbuktu and the width of the Red Sea. Drawing on earlier Islamic astronomers like al-Zarqali and al-Battani, al-Wangari created original tables predicting lunar eclipses and planetary positions, all while teaching at Sankore University. The episode examines how West African scholars were not mere copyists but active participants in the global scientific tradition, engaging with and improving upon the work of their predecessors. We also discuss the trade networks that brought astronomical instruments like the astrolabe to Timbuktu, and how the city's libraries preserved these manuscripts through centuries of political upheaval. Finally, we touch on the recent digitization efforts that have made al-Wangari's work accessible to modern historians of science. #Timbuktu #MuhammadAlWangari #MiratAlAlam #IslamicAstronomy #SankoreUniversity #Astrolabe #HistoryOfScience #WestAfrica #MaliEmpire #AlZarqali #AlBattani #RedSea #LunarEclipse #Manuscripts #Digitization #FexingoHistory #History #AfricanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo