Student Article

Galileo Galilei was a brilliant scientist who looked up at the stars — and changed how we see the universe.

From medicine to the cosmos

Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy, in 1564. Though he started studying medicine, he quickly discovered he loved math and science more. He became especially interested in the skies, building a better version of the telescope to see things no one had ever seen before. With his telescope, he discovered craters on the Moon and saw that Jupiter had four moons orbiting it — just like our Moon orbits Earth!

Challenging accepted beliefs

These discoveries helped prove that the Sun, not Earth, is at the center of the Solar System. This idea was called the heliocentric model, and it challenged what many people — and the Catholic Church — believed at the time. The Church taught that the Earth was the center of everything, and they didn’t like being proven wrong.

Galileo’s trial and house arrest

Galileo wrote books to share his ideas, and even though many scientists agreed with him, the Church put him on trial in 1633. He had to say he was wrong, even though he still believed he was right. After that, he spent the rest of his life under house arrest, continuing to work on science until his death in 1642.

Galileo’s legacy

Galileo’s courage helped change how we understand space and science. Today he’s remembered as a hero of discovery and truth.

© Danny Bird / www.historyextra.com