How did early modern thinkers separate genuine natural wonders from demonic illusions or outright frauds? Strange Things invites you on a fascinating journey through the anomalies, marvels, and rare phenomena that disrupted early modern European science. Bringing together an outstanding team of international contributors, this volume offers a deeply interdisciplinary approach to the history of science, philosophy, and medicine. From Pietro Pomponazzi’s naturalization of miracles to the 18th-century debates on the reality of vampires, you will discover how investigating the seemingly impossible was not a marginal pursuit, but a powerful catalyst that redefined the boundaries of natural knowledge. Richly illustrated with rare historical images, this book fundamentally challenges how you view the complex origins of modern scientific thought.
Contributors include Marco Sgarbi, Sergius Kodera, Thibaut Rioult, Donato Verardi, Daniela Caracciolo, Jennifer Mori, Manuel De Carli, and Michael Pickering