
Not only did this promote further study to understand the place of humanity in the world and the universe, it questioned the authority of the organised Christian Church in the West to be the keeper of fundamental truths. Renaissance Natural philosopher Copernicus's great work was the consequence of long observation and resulted in the the first stage of the Scientific Revolution by correctly positing that the earth and other planets of the solar system revolved around the sun. Copernicus' pioneering discovery of the heliocentric nature of the solar system is one of the few identifiable moments in history that define the understanding of the nature of all things. Print Revolution of Heavenly Spheres (Concise Edition)Ĭontroversial at the time Copernicus' discoveries led to the scientific revolution, and a greater understanding of our place in the universe.
