University of Michigan Libraries announced in August that the prized gem of its astronomy collection, an original manuscript by Galileo Galilei, was actually a forgery following an investigation by Georgia State University professor Nick Wilding. The manuscript contained writings on Galileo’s telescopic observations of celestial bodies orbiting Jupiter, which reversed a common 17th century belief that Earth was at the center of the universe. Galileo’s observations went on to have major implications in the field of astronomy. Wilding, who is currently writing a comprehensive biography on Galileo’s life and work, made a similar discovery in 2012 when he determined that a rare 17th-century book written by Galileo was also an elaborate forgery. Pablo Alvarez, U-M Special Collections Research Center curator, told The Michigan Daily that this discovery made him apprehensive about other forgeries when he was first contacted by Wilding. “I was very concerned because I knew that (Wilding) was somebody with a lot of expertise in this field, not somebody simply asking very general questions but somebody who already probably had some very strong grounds to express those doubts,” Alvarez said. Wilding told The Daily that his prior experiences in identifying forgery motivated him to examine the U-M manuscript even closer. “I’ve had to look really, really careful and kind of invent new tests to find those forgeries,” Wilding said. “It made me hyper acute to looking for forgeries, when most people would just say, ‘There’s no problem with the sources.’” Wilding said he generally looks into the background of a source before deciding whether or not to trust it. Most of Galileo’s works reside in a single archive in the National Central Library of Florence, and Wilding said he found it suspicious that the University would end up with such a valuable piece of work so far away from the others. “There are like five Galileo documents in all of North America,” Wilding said. “I’m not saying that everything in America is fake, but you have to look a lot harder at those objects.” While the location of the manuscript was the initial red flag, it took a much closer look for Wilding to determine the manuscript was a forgery. Wilding explained that, typically, Galileo would have one stack of papers all with a single watermark and use that stack until he was out before getting a new stack with a different watermark. In the 17th century, watermarks were often used on hand pressed paper for the manufacturers to identify the paper that they made. Therefore, paper can be dated using watermarks, as was the case in the U-M manuscript. Though the appearance of the paper itself immediately stuck out to Wilding as being odd, once he noticed the two sets of letters, AS and BMO, he knew this manuscript was most likely inauthentic because the watermark was not typical for the time in which it would have been written. “I just realized, because I’m kind of a book nerd, that it was weird for (an) early 17th century paper. Usually you get two sets of letters way later, like the 18th or 19th century,” Wilding said. After comparing the manuscript to another well-known forgery with similar watermarks, Wilding determined the document was indeed a fake, and most likely created by a prominent 20th century forger, Tobia Nicotra. “As far as I can understand the motives of Nicotra, it seems like he was driven by a mixture of money needs and possibly trying to prove himself against his failed career as a musician,” Wilding said. Alvarez said he was shocked to learn the manuscript was inauthentic, and that in the 12 years he had served as curator, he never considered the document could be forged. “This manuscript is already something that I would say is part of the history of the University of Michigan,” Alvarez said. “Very important scholars on the history of science included these manuscripts in articles, so it had been sort of approved by the scholar community.” Going forward, Alvarez said transparency is extremely important as the University navigates the aftermath of the discovery and hopes this situation will be a learning experience. “For me, it’s very much emotional, but I think this is going to be a positive step for us, not only in addressing what happened … but people could learn about paleography, about paper making, about ink in the 17th century, and I think that’s a positive thing,” Alvarez said. Lech Wałęsa, the former president of Poland, spoke to a full auditorium in Rackham Amphitheatre on Tuesday about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, his role in leading the Ukrainian Solidarity Campaign and subsequently leading Poland. Russia invaded Ukraine in February, expecting a quick victory in the war. Wałęsa’s talk at Rackham follows Ukraine taking back about 2,300 square miles of previously Russian-occupied territory on Monday. He drew parallels between the current war and his time working in Poland. Wałęsa helped to institute democratic elections in Poland while leading the Solidarity movement. He was also a Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 1983 before becoming the first President of Poland elected via a democratic election since 1926. He served as President from 1990 until 1995. The event was hosted by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE) in conjunction with the Copernicus Center for Polish Studies, Ford School of Public Policy, Democracy and Debate and the Weiser Diplomacy Center. Wałęsa said the world is in a state of transition and that the United States must rise to lead the world. “One (era) has fallen down, the other has not been created yet,” Wałęsa said.“Somebody has to lead. I would like to encourage you, to plead with you, to lead.” Wałęsa went on to discuss the current war in Ukraine. Wałęsa encouraged attendees to acknowledge the urgent need for help for Ukranians, while also thinking about the root cause of the war. “We have to help (Ukrainians) so they survive,” Wałęsa said. “But the cause, the causes are really more important. And what that is — is the bad political system in Russia. It’s not just Stalin or Putin, it’s the political system that makes it possible for people like them to show up.” Wałęsa critiqued Russia’s political system, specifically criticizing two consecutive term limit laws that allow Putin to hold onto power until 2036. He said even if Ukraine were to win the ongoing war, “Russia will rise again.” He said there should be a term limit law limiting Russian leaders to two five-year terms. Wałęsa said there are two main ways to increase power as a state: through freedom and democracy or through war. “So now there is a question,” Wałęsa said. “Which one of them (democratic forces or Russia) is going to win? Which one will we allow to win?” Wałęsa concluded his discussion by emphasizing the need for the United States to rise back up and be a world leader, saying the country is well-positioned to help Ukrainians. “I am pleading with you to please realize that you’re responsible for the whole world,” Wałęsa said. “That this is your fate. This is your God-given role: to lead the world.” Public Policy graduate student Oieshi Saha told The Michigan Daily she valued Wałęsa’s comments about the need for America to regain its leadership on the world stage and said the discussion connected to what she has studied in class. “What I took away from this talk was that leadership and dominance are not one (and) the same,” Saha said. “There are ways of leading that don’t demand dominating and appropriating like America has done.” Music, Theatre & Dance freshman Tim Kulawiak told The Daily he felt Wałęsa’s talk was “personally relevant” since his father was Polish and took part in the Solidarity movement Wałęsa led. He said Wałęsa left him feeling inspired about what is to come next in the world. “What stood out most was this call to action,” Kulawiak said. “Very much singling out the U.S. as the place where there’s the most potential for change … it’s our responsibility, our privilege to be able to be in this position where there’s a gap of leadership and a transitional time where there’s so much potential for positive change.” Daily Staff Reporter Julia Forrest can be reached at juforres@umich. edu. The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com News 2 — Wednesday, September 21, 2022 PHOTO OF THE WEEK The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is publishing weekly on Wednesdays for the Fall 2022 semester by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. If you would like a current copy of the paper mailed to you, please visit store. pub.umich.edu/michigan-daily-buy-this-edition to place your order. 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NEWS Solidarity movement leader discusses US role in geopolitics Georgia Tech investigation finds Galileo scroll is fraud Read more at MichiganDaily.com Nobel Peace Prize winner and Poland’s first president, Lech Walesa engages with the campus community, discussing issues pertaining to world politics in Rackham Amphitheatre Tuesday afternoon. JENNA HICKEY/Daily JULIA FORREST Daily Staff Reporter