Biography: Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Only a handful of scientists can be said to have truly changed the way people view the world. Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer and mathematician, is one of them. Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy. His father wanted him to become a doctor. However, everything changed for him when he began studying mathematics. Galileo was immediately captivated. He found mathematics much more interesting than medicine, and it seemed to help explain the world. Around the age of 25, he was appointed to lead the mathematics department at the University of Pisa and was publishing scientific papers. Three years later Galileo began teaching mathematics, astronomy, and physics at the University of Padua. During this time, he made scientific discoveries about gravity and motion that changed the world. Galileo was one of the first scientists to use a telescope to study the sky. He described the surface of the moon. He also discovered the moons of Jupiter. In 1610, he published The Starry Messenger, recording his observations. However, some of his ideas offended leaders of the Roman Catholic Church. His conflicts with the Church began in 1613 and continued for the rest of his life. He agreed with Copernicus that Earth and the other planets orbited the sun, and this claim conflicted with the Church's teaching that Earth was the center of the universe. In about 1633, Galileo was called before the Inquisition. This was a Church court system set up to stop the spread of ideas that contradicted the Church's teachings. Under pressure, threatened possibly by torture, Galileo said that his ideas about astronomy were wrong. He was forced to live under house arrest for the rest of his life. Still, he continued to write. His ideas spread and influenced other scientists.
Infer (#ReadBetween The Lines): When you INFER, you read between the lines to determine meaning. In other words, you make an educated guess based on your own prior knowledge and textual evidence.
Why do you think Galileo's ideas influenced other scientists? Answer in complete sentences.
