Giovanni Borelli (1608-1679), born in Pisa, Italy, was a Renaissance physicist and mathematician. He contributed to the modern principle of scientific investigation by continuing Galileo's custom of testing hypotheses against observation. Trained in mathematics, Borelli also made extensive studies of Jupiter's moons and, in microscopy, of the constituents of blood. He also used microscopy to investigate the stomatal movement of plants, and undertook studies in medicine and geology. During his career, he enjoyed the protection of Queen Christina of Sweden, which sheltered him from the attacks from the Italian authorities suffered by Galileo.

Borelli's most famous work, for which he has been credited as the father of biomechanics, is titled On the Movement of Animals (De Motu Animalium). This was published posthumously in 1680.