ImpactThe effects of the heliocentric theory on the past and present world.
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How the Heliocentric Theory Changed the World
By Chloe Burkett
Essential Questions
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In the Past-
It is very apparent that, since the Scientific Revolution, the study of the universe and astronomy have changed and grown dramatically. Why? The heliocentric theory. Introduced by Nicolaus Copernicus in the early 1500’s, this theory changed the world and created a base for modern astronomy. It challenged the ideas of the Roman Catholic Church and encouraged the invention of things such as the astrological telescope, and the Scientific Method. Unfortunately, it cost the lives of the many scientists who worked to prove it, such as Galileo Galilei. Galileo did extensive research on the heliocentric theory, alongside many other things but when the Church heard about this, they tortured him and sentenced him to house arrest for the remaining years of his life. After his death (1642) it took nearly 400 years for the heliocentric theory to be formally introduced by the Church (1992).
In the Modern World-
The heliocentric theory is extremely important to the modern world because, without it, people would have no concept of the universe and beliefs such as the geocentric theory (the idea that the earth was the center of the universe) would still be in play. Also, revolutionary devices such as telescopes, satellites and rocket ships may not have ever been created. This would’ve completely changed the way humans lived their lives by preventing things like radio and the internet from ever existing. The heliocentric theory has truly impacted the world as a whole by introducing hundreds of new pathways for education, communication, and exploration. It has, and will continue to, influence our future innovations. From things as simple as the telescope to things as complex as black holes, the heliocentric theory provides a solid base to make anything possible in the future.