Silvio A BediniSilvio Bedini (1917-2007) was a Historian Emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C, who wrote extensively about the history of science on a wide range of topics including late Renaissance timekeeping, early American scientific instrments, Asian time measurement, the scientific pursuits of Thomas Jefferson, and the origin of dominoes. His research on surveyors in Colonial America led him to uncover the story of Benjamin Banneker, African American mathematician and astronomer, about whom he wrote a detailed biography. Among other awards, in 2000 Bedini received the Leonardo da Vinci Medal, the highest recognition from the Society of the History of Technology. Read More Read Less