Astronomical history is out of this world!

I think astronomy has the most interesting history of all of the sciences. CONSIDER:

• Nicky Copernicus – Figured out a way to make the heavens make sense by stopping the sun and spinning the Earth around it. Was so afraid of the meaning of his work that he had it published posthumously so that he couldn’t get exiled from the church and/or burned.
• Gio “Metro” Bruno – speculated about aliens, fled Rome, was lured back, and was burned at the stake like a chump.
• Galileo Schmalileo – Was the first person to look at the space up close. He didn’t get burned to death, but he went blind for staring at the sun for years and the Catholics sentenced him to house arrest for the last decade of his life.
• Tycho Brahe – Had a golden nose!
• Johnny Kepler – Killed a man with a golden nose! (See: Tycho Brahe)

I can imagine an HBO Mini-series based on these guys now… or an MTV reality show. Either way, I bet you can’t find a science that has a more interesting history.

… except maybe math. Those guys have like eight years of good work in them before they go bonkers and kill themselves.

I think astronomy has the most interesting history of all of the sciences. CONSIDER: • Nicky Copernicus – Figured out a way to make the heavens make sense by stopping the sun and spinning the Earth around it. Was so afraid of the meaning of his work that he had it published posthumously so that he couldn’t…