Alhazen biography of michaels

Early work on the River Nile

Abu Ali Hasan Ibn al-Haitham was one of the most eminent of all physicists, whose contributions to sciences, in particularly optics, were outstanding.

Known in the West as Alhazen, he is considered the 'father of modern optics'.

Iranian by birth, Alhazen received his education in both Basra and Baghdad, before travelling to Egypt, where on commission to Caliph al-Hakim, then ruler of Egypt, he attempted to find a way of controlling the flooding of the Nile River.

He reasoned that constructing a dam would enable water to be stored for irrigation in the dry season, and would prevent flooding at other times.

However, upon arriving at the proposed site, Alhazen realised that he had insufficient money and materials to successfully complete the project.

Wishing to escape the wrath of Caliph he feigned madness, a pretence he maintained until Caliph's death 12 years later.

By this time, Alhazen was living and pur