Galileo's Accomplishments

Mathematics and science are fields that are constantly changing, advancing, and creating new hypotheses. Both are exciting fields because, at any time, a discovery can be made that changes the entire understanding of a topic, the field, or even the understanding of the universe. Such breakthroughs are often met with opposition from all sides. The breakdowns of irrational societal thought and the breakthroughs made in the fields of mathematics, physics, and chemistry combine together to propel the world in ever more modern and progressive understandings of scientific discovery and thought. One of the most essential and influential breakthroughs in maths was the acceptance and implementation of zero. Zero’s roots can be traced back to many
Galileo was not the first scientist to discover heliocentrism, but through his writings and experiments, Galileo challenged European society to move away from geocentricism. Nicolaus Copernicus is frequently credited with the discovery of heliocentrism; however, the Catholic Church’s unwavering claim to geocentricism caused Copernicus’s theory to be ignored by many astronomers, physicists, and scholars. The breakthrough spearheaded by Galileo forced heliocentrism into academic debate, where it easily overwhelmed the suggested evidence for geocentricism. While such a realization holds significance individually, this breakthrough was especially powerful because it forced physicists to reexamine the assumptions they had made regarding the earth and motion itself.
Before Galileo revolutionized the understanding of motion, no one could have even envisioned the theory of relativity. Galileo’s career began with him questioning the effects of gravity on moving objects. He proved that objects fell at the same speed, regardless of weight. While this was an important observation, it pales in comparison to the realization that the earth is moving even though humans do not detect that movement. The acceptance of this possibility pushed physicists toward the theory of relativity. Additionally, it pushed Europe even further into modernity and
All three were initially discovered before they were accepted my scholars and society. Additionally, both zero and heliocentrism were repressed by religious authorities. Zero was feared by Christians due to their dependence of Aristotle’s interpretation of the universe. Additionally, it was feared because of its connection to the void and unknown. Christianity was also an obstacle for heliocentrism. For years, the Catholic Church claimed the Bible relied upon the earth being stationary. This claim was strongly enforced in parts of Europe through the Inquisition. While each breakthrough affected different fields of study, each created a profound change in world view and shared common societal