Here's something for you to chew on, Mr Astronomer:
nytimes.com
Many people know that the Roman Catholic Church once waged a
long and bitter war on science, and on astronomy in particular.
But that seemingly well-established fact of history, it turns out, is wrong.
While it is true that the church
condemned Galileo, new research
shows that centuries of
oversimplifications have concealed
just how hard Rome worked to
amass astronomical tools,
measurements, tests and lore.
In its scientific zeal, the church
adapted cathedrals across Europe,
and a tower at the Vatican itself, so
their darkened vaults could serve as
solar observatories. Beams of
sunlight that fell past religious art and
marble columns not only inspired the
faithful but provided astronomers
with information about the Sun, the
Earth and their celestial relationship...... |
