Dava Sobel: A More Perfect Heaven

The bestselling author of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter tells the story of Nicolaus Copernicus and the revolution he inspired. By 1514, the reclusive cleric Copernicus had written an initial outline of his heliocentric theory - in which he defied common sense and received wisdom to place the sun, not the Earth, at the center of our universe. Over the next two decades Copernicus expanded his theory through hundreds of observations, while compiling in secret a book-length manuscript that tantalized mathematicians and scientists throughout Europe. Fearing ridicule, he refused to publish. More than 20 years later, a young German mathematician finally unleashed Copernicus' ideas on the world. Sobel will chronicle the conflicting personalities and extraordinary discoveries that shaped the Copernican revolution, giving us an unforgettable portrait of scientific achievement and of the persistent tensions between science and faith.

Speaker: Dava Sobel, Author, Longitude and Galileo's Daughter; Science Writer