Between the powerful days of the Roman Empire and the intellectually vibrant era of the Renaissance, there was a time that we often refer to as Early Middle Ages, or more pejoratively, as the Dark Ages. During these centuries, literature, written history, and cultural achievements were on the decline in the western world. But just a bit further east, in the Arab world, a golden age of enlightenment was taking hold. In his new book, “The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance,” Jim Al-Khalili reveals the unrecognized scientific accomplishments of medieval Islam