Gutenberg Invented the Printing

Press

1445
Gutenbergs press was faster and
clearer than any previous press. It
helped launch the explosion of
Renaissance science and humanism.

Printing
Press

Leonardo da Vinci begins His

Studies of Human Anatomy
1489
Starting in 1489, da Vinci dissected dead bodies.
He studied muscles and tendons, the heart and
blood vessels and even a fetus in the womb. His
research enabled him to draw realistic, detailed
human figures. Da Vinci also used his knowledge
to create models of different organs of the body
so that their functions could be studied.

Da Vinci

Copernicus develops the Heliocentric

Model of the Universe
1543
In his book, On the Revolutions of the celestial Spheres,
Copernicus presented an idea that was radically different
from that of ancient astronomer Ptolemy (believed the
Earth was the center of the universe- geocentric theory).
Copernicus believed that the Sun was the center of the
Universe and that different planets revolved around the
Sun at different speeds. His new heliocentric theory
challenged the ideas supported by religious scholars.

copernicus

Vesalius Describes Human Anatomy

1543
Prior to the Scientific Revolution, European doctors and medical
students did not dissect dead human bodies because of religious
concerns. However, some dug bodies out of graves to study them,
while others dissected dead animals instead. Vesalius changed this
practice. He insisted that the study of human anatomy could only be
done on human bodies and that it was ok if it was for scientific
advancement. Vesalius regularly dissected dead human bodies in his
classroom and used them to teach anatomy to his students. His
findings disproved the work of ancient scientist who used animal
carcasses to make assumptions about the human body.

vesalius

Michael Servetus Maps Human Blood

Circulation
1553
Servetus discovered that blood was pumped by the heart
to the lungs, where it combined with oxygen before
moving back to the heart and throughout the body. This
system is, today, referred to as the circulatory system.
Interesting Fact: Servetus was a theologian and studied
blood, because he believed that the human soul lived
inside the bloodstream. He was eventually executed for
heresy.

Blood circulation

Erasmus Reinhold Publishes the

Prutenic Tables
1551
The invention of the printing press was an important
contributor to the Scientific Revolution. It allowed
scientist to easily share their ideas with colleagues
throughout Europe. Erasmus Reinhold used the
printing press to expand the field of astronomy by
compiling Copernicus data and creating tables that
described the positions of the planet, which was
easier to understand.

Prutenic Tables

Tycho Brahe Observes a Supernova

1572
A bright new star appeared in the constellation
Cassiopeia in early November 1572. It was so bright, it
could be seen during the daytime. Many astronomers
saw it, but it was Tycho Brahes measurements of the
stars position that proved the star was located beyond
the Moon. The idea that a new star could suddenly
appear contradicted Arisotles theory that the heavens
and all bodies in space were perfect and unchanging.

Brahe

Gregorian Calendar is Adopted

1582
Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius created a new
calendar for Pope Gregory using Copernicuss
mathematical models. Due to the inaccuracies of the
previously used calendar, 10 days had to be removed
from the month of October to align the dates to the
location of the planets and the Moon. The new calendar
shifted the start of the new year from March 25 to
January 1. Today the Gregorian Calendar is used by most
people across the world.

Gregorian Calendar

Galileo Builds His Telescope

1609
Galileo did not invent the telescope, however, his
improvement to the original model magnified
objects to nine times their actual size. This allowed
Galileo to discover mountains on the Moon and
sunspots. He also tracked the movement of planets
and confirmed that the universe is extremely large
and cannot be defined, which contradicted early
beliefs and upset the Catholic Church.

Galileo Telescope

Galileo Tried for Heresy

1633
Galileo was tried by the Inquisition as a heretic
when he wrote a book defending Copernicus
heliocentric model. He was eventually sentenced
to house arrest for the remainder of his life.
Interesting Fact: In 1992 the Pope formally
cleared Galileo of heresy (over 300 years
after his death)

Galileo Trial

Kepler Ties Astronomy to Physics

1614
After tracking a supernova on October 17,
1604, Johannes Kepler used the principles of
physics to discover the three laws of planetary
motion, which are still accepted by scientist
today, including the fact that planets make
oval-shaped orbits around the sun

Kepler

Robert Boyle Defines the Particles the

Make up Matter
1661
Boyle debunked the ancient Greek idea that
there are four elements in nature: earth, air,
fire, and water. Boyle theorized that everything
in the universe is made up of particles, or
elements, and that the movement and
interaction of those particles is what creates
different types of matter.

Boyle

Descartes Locates Emotions in the

Body
1649
Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers had declared that
emotions resulted from decisions that people make.
Descartes disputed this with his theory that emotions
come from the body, not the brain. He believed the
nervous system sent physical sensations to the brain,
which then produced the appropriate emotions.
Descartes ideas later became the basis of psychology
and brought emotional health into the study of medicine
and biology.

Descartes

Newton Introduces the Laws of

Motions
1687
Newton formulated mathematical descriptions that
could be used to describe the motion of any object.
In his writings, he presented the theory of universal
gravitation and the three laws of motion. Newtons
calculations helped scientists understand why the
heliocentric model was correct and many other
scientists built on his ideas to develop the field of
classical physics (still studied today).

Newton

Halley Predicts Return of Comet

1705
Edmond Halley, and English astronomer, studied
ancient documents of comet sightings. Using his
own calculations he successfully concluded that the
orbits of the comets were identical and predicted
the reappearance of the same comet. Although he
died before the reappearance of the comet, it was
named after him. In addition his discovery further
proved the theory of heliocentricism.

Halley

Bacon Described the Scientific

Method
1620
In his book, Novum Organum, Francis Bacon
laid out the principles of close observation and
then drew conclusions from those observations,
laying the foundations for the modern Scientific
Method.

Bacon