This Day in History: Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer Galileo Galilei was born on this day in 1564. According to Stephen Hawking, Galileo probably bears more of the responsibility for the birth of modern science than anybody else, and Albert Einstein called him the father of modern science.
In his day it was believed that the sun revolved around the earth (geocentrism), however Galileo expounded the model made earlier by Copernicus that the earth revolved around the sun (heliocentrism). Because of this "heresy" Galileo remained under house arrest until his death.
This incident teaches us the importance of freedom of expression, and that science is never settled.
See also: The Censorship of Books by the Catholic Church, 1876 Article
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