In the 1520s a Polish cleric named Nicolaus Copernicus developed a revolutionary
theory which placed the Sun, not the Earth, at the centre of our universe. The
secret existence of this manuscript tantalised scientists everywhere in Europe.
Then in 1539 a young German mathematician, Rheticus, travelled to meet Copernicu
s in the hope of setting eyes on it.
Dava Sobel tells the story of a new conc
ept of the heavens, and how Rheticus persuaded the cautious Copernicus to allow
him to take the precious but dangerous manuscript out into a world that it would
change for ever.
