bahrainthismonth.com | NOVEMBER 2026 ITALY IN BAHRAIN 29 Italy Has a Motor Valley Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati, Pagani and Dallara all have roots in Emilia-Romagna. A wider network of specialist engineering businesses supports the manufacturers, creating an entire ecosystem for Italian motoring. The First Battery Was Italian Every time we talk about volts, we are using the name of an Italian scientist. Alessandro Volta developed the voltaic pile around 1800, creating the first practical source of continuous electric current and paving the way for modern batteries. His contribution was later immortalised in the electrical unit known as the volt. Bologna Houses a Supercomputer Leonardo, housed at the Bologna Technopole and operated by CINECA, provides immense computing power for scientific research, placing the city at the heart of Europe’s highperformance computing network. Italy Invented the Piano Padua-born Bartolomeo Cristofori developed the instrument that became the modern piano around 1700 while working at the Medici court in Florence. His mechanism allowed players to control the strength of a note through the touch of the keys, changing the possibilities of keyboard music. Olivetti Pioneered Desktop Computing Olivetti introduced the Programma 101 in 1965, putting programmable computing into a machine small enough to sit on a desk when computers could occupy entire rooms. Regarded as a precursor to the personal computer, it was also acquired by NASA for work connected with the Apollo programme. Bahrain Won an Expo Milano Prize At Expo Milano 2015, Bahrain’s pavilion welcomed more than 2.2 million visitors and received the Silver Prize for Architecture in the large-pavilion category. Inspired by Bahrain’s agricultural heritage, the pavilion brought a distinctly Bahraini story to one of Italy’s biggest international events. Olivetti Pioneered Desktop Computing Olivetti introduced the Programma 101 in 1965, putting programmable computing into a machine small enough to sit on a desk when computers could occupy entire rooms. Regarded as a precursor to the personal computer, it was also acquired by NASA for work connected with the Apollo programme. An Italian Identified Dilmun’s King Professor Gianni Marchesi of the University of Bologna analysed Akkadian inscriptions found on stone vessels from the Royal Mounds of A’ali in Bahrain. The research helped identify Yagli-El, a king of ancient Dilmun, adding to the understanding of Bahrain’s early royal history. Ferrari Won Bahrain’s First F1 Race When Bahrain International Circuit staged its inaugural Formula One Grand Prix on April 4, 2004, Michael Schumacher won for Ferrari, with teammate Rubens Barrichello second for a one-two finish. Italy Funded 65% of Vega The space launcher began as an Italian project before being adopted by the European Space Agency. Italy provided around 65% of the funding for its original development, making it the largest contributor to a launcher designed primarily to carry smaller satellites into orbit. Italy Watches Earth by Radar COSMO-SkyMed is an Italian Earthobservation programme using sophisticated radar satellites, with data supporting applications from environmental monitoring to emergency management. The programme continues to evolve, with the third satellite in its second-generation 10. 15. 14. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 11. 12. 13.
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