James Poskett rethinks the history of knowledge, refuting the idea that modern science is exclusively a western invention. It convincingly demonstrates how progress arises from the collaboration and exchange of knowledge of brilliant minds from around the world. From the important contribution of Arab scientists to European science to the wealth of ancient Chinese medicine, botany and pharmacology, the book reveals a variety of scientific achievements beyond our usual geographical and cultural boundaries. Readers learn of an Ottoman astronomer captured by pirates; an African slave looking for medicinal herbs on a plantation in South America; Mexican genetics that collected blood samples from Olympic athletes. Recognizing the significance of the traditional scientific canon, the author pays attention to the political context that shaped scientific discourse and offers a comprehensive view of the history of science. To understand the history of astronomy and mathematics during the scientific revolution, we need to start not with the traditional story of Copernicus, a European thinker, but with the story of scientists in the Islamic world whose ideas inspired Europeans.