Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy, the first of six children to Vincenzo Galilei, a lutenist, composer, and music theorist, and Giulia Ammannati. His early exposure to the arts and intellectual pursuits likely fostered his inquisitive mind and appreciation for mathematical harmony.

While attending the University of Pisa as a medical student, Galileo observed a lamp swinging in the Pisa Cathedral. He noticed that the period of oscillation remained relatively constant regardless of the amplitude, an observation that led him to the principle of isochronism of the pendulum. This later became the basis for pendulum clocks.