Giuseppe Averani, born in Florence, studied law at Pisa, held the chair of civil law there, reputed for his reform of Pisan legal studies. Also studied classical geography, philosophy, theology, astronomy, geometry, mathematics and as a physicist undertook several noted innovative experiments, member of the Royal Society of London. Wrote De Momentis corporum gravium inclinatis in defense of Galileo, founded the Accademia degli Oppressi where he organised discussions on physics.