NicolausCopernicusNicolausCopernicusborn:inPolandin1473died:May24,1543Hewasoneofthefirstscientiststousemathematicalobservationstocollectinformation.Hebelievedthesunisthecenteroftheuniverseandtheearthandotherplanetswentaroundit.NinePlanetsIntheSolarSystemShowingCopernicus’theoryAdiagramshowingthesolarsystemwiththeearthatitscentreAdiagramshowingthesolarsystemwiththesunatitscentreBeforeCopernicus’theoryCarefulreadingReadthetextcarefully,thenanswerthesequestions(1)Whycouldhenottellabouthistheory?(Para1)BecausethepowerfulChistianChurchwouldhavepunishedhimforevensuggestingsuchanidea(2)Whatwashistheoryabout?(Para1)Allhismathematicalcalculationsledtothesameconclusion:thattheearthwasnotthecentreofthesolarsystem.Onlyifyouputthesuntheredidthemovementsoftheotherplanetsintheskymakesense.(3)Whathadtheastronomersnoticedinthesky?(Para2)Theyhadnoticedthatsomeplanetsintheskyseemedtostop,movebackwardandthengoforwardinaloop.Othersappearedbrighterattimesandlessbrightatothers.(4)WhendidCopernicuscompletehistheory?(Para3)Between1510and1514heworkedonit,graduallyimprovinghistheoryuntilhefeltitwascomplete.(5)Howdidheexplainchangesinthemovementoftheplanetsandinthebrightnessofthestars?Whendidhepublishhisidea?(Para4)Heplacedafixedsunatthecentreofthesolarsystemwiththeplanetsgoingrounditandonlythemoonstillgoingroundtheearth.Healsosuggestedthattheearthwasspinningasitwentrounditandthisexplainchangesinthemovementoftheplanetsandinthebrightnessofthestars..Hepublisheditashelaydyingin1543(6)WhydopeoplethinkthatthereisadirectlinkbetweenhisideasandtheworkofIsaacNewton,AlbertEinsteinandStephenHawking?Becausehistheoryisnowthebaseonwhichallourideasoftheuniversearebuilt.HistheoryreplacedtheChristianideaofgravitywhichsaidthingsfelltoearthbecauseGodcreatedtheearthasthecentreoftheuniverse,Heshowedthiswasobviouslywrong.IfyouwereNicolausCopernicus,wouldyouhavehiddenyourtheoryforsomanyyears?◆Asascientist,oneshouldbebrave.ButCopernicuswasafraidofbeingattackedbytheChristianChurch.Sohehadhiddenhistheoryforsomanyyears.Whatdoyouthinkofthis?Agree:1.Hewascautious.ifhehadpublishedhisideas,hewouldhavebeenkilledjustasBrunowhowasburnedtodeathbecausehistheorywasagainsttheChristianChurch.2.Everytimewhenanewideaappears,therearealwaysrejections.It’snormal.Scientistsshouldhavepatiencetospreadtheirtruth.3.Itmadenosenseforhimtopublishhistheoryinahurry.Hewasjustcautiousnotcoward.Heshouldprotecthimselffirst.Disagree:1.Copernicuswasverycoward.Heshouldspeakouthisdiscoveryandlettheworldknowthetruthearlier.2.Sciencecanneveradvanceunlesspeoplehavethecourageoftheirbeliefs.3.Asascientist,youmusthavethecouragetopublishyourfindings.Nomatterhowpeopleopposethem,timewillshowifyourideasarerightorwrong.•WriteashortletteraskingCopernicustopublishhisideassoeveryonecanreadthem.WriteashortletteraskingCopernicus(not)topublishhisideassoeveryonecanreadthemOnepossibleversion:DearNicolausCopernicus,IamastudentstudyingastronomyandIwouldverymuchliketoreadyournewtheoryaboutthesolarsystem.Ihopeyouwillpublishitforseveralreasons.Iunderstandtheproblemswiththepresenttheory.Thewaytheplanetsmoveisnotwhatyouwouldexpectiftheearthwasthecenteroftheuniverse.Itisalsooddthatthebrightnessofsomestarsseemstochange.SoIagreewithyouthatweneedanewtheory.Yourssincerely,LinQiIknowyourobservationshavebeenverycarefullycarriedoutovermanyyears.Nowyoumusthavethecouragetopublishthem.Scie...
