Studies conducted by Bernard Lewis have confirmed that the Jews have played a very important part in the discovery of Islam. The Jewish scholars were among the foremost who tried to introduce Islam to Europe as Muslims. The Jews were among the first to recognize the virtues of the Muslim civilization. Ignaz Goldziher played a key role in analyzing Islam. The literary contributions of Benjamin Disraeli, the travel and exploration into unknown Muslim lands by Jewish explorers like William Gifford Palgrave and Arminius Vambery, and works of scholars like Abraham Geiger contributed to the Jewish discovery of Islam.
With the architectural splendor of six synagogues that are still intact, the Jewish museum and a cemetery, Prague in Europe is one of the best showpieces of Jewish discovery. The picturesque town of Mikulov in Czech was home to several Jewish scholars. The restored Upper Synagogue is one of the best architectural designs constructed by Jews, and is today a museum as well as a cultural center. Boskovice, which is known for its castle, Trebic, and Pilsen are other important places worth mentioning.
The Jews made several important contributions to the medical and life sciences. The discovery of the human blood groups, ABO, and other, as well as that of the Rh factor is an important milestone by Karl Landsteiner. Other important discoveries worth mentioning are the discovery of prostraglandins by M. W. Goldblatt, the discovery of neutransmitters by Otto Leowi, the discovery and growth factor classifications by Rita Levi-Montalcini, Stanley H. Cohen and Viktor Hamburger, and the invention of chemotherapy to cure cancer are noteworthy discoveries.
The Jews have made significant contributions to atomic research. Jews have contributed substantially to the development of atomic energy. David Lilienthal, a Jew, was the first chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. The fact that atomic energy could be used for peaceful purposes was first discovered by Admiral Hyman Rickover, a Jew. He initiated America’s nuclear fleet.