GALILEO GALILEI was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer. He has been called the "father of the scientific method”. Before Galileo, most science was based merely on the opinions of philosophers. Galileo taught us to search for physical proof to support our theories and he encouraged experimentation.

Galileo studied speed velocity and gravity. He dropped two spheres of different weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove that both objects fell at the same rate, thus disproving Aristotle.

Galileo championed the work of Nicolaus Copernicus who theorized the sun, not the earth, was at the center of our solar system. He met with opposition from doubting astronomers but he defended his views in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632).

TRY THIS!

Put on your researcher’s cap and find other cases in which widely accepted scientific principals have been discredited. We can think of six cases. How many can you find? Here’s a clue; one case was a major mistake by 

Albert Einstein.

GROUP OF SIX PRINTS

shown in gallery bar above

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