Categories
Canali on Mars: The 19th-Century Mistranslation That Invented a World
This post explores how Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli’s 1877 description of “canali” (channels) on Mars was translated into English as “canals,” implying intelligent design. This seemingly minor linguistic slip, amplified by astronomer Percival Lowell, fueled a century of scientific speculation and classic science fiction. It’s a powerful reminder of how a single word can invent a world, forever shaping our cultural imagination of the Red Planet.
