Copernicus' skeleton identified

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Couchtripper Forum Index -> Historically Yours
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
faceless
admin


Joined: 25 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:10 pm    Post subject: Copernicus' skeleton identified Reply with quote


16th-century skeleton identified as Copernicus
Owen Bowcott
November 21 2008

The long-lost skeleton of Nicolaus Copernicus – the 16th-century astronomer who transformed our understanding of the solar system – has been found, Polish researchers have confirmed. Forensic detective work has successfully matched DNA samples recovered from remains in a cathedral grave with hairs retrieved from a book the scholar priest is known to have owned. The identification is the culmination of four years of investigation and centuries of speculation about the final resting place of the man who challenged the Bible and medieval teachings of the church.

Copernicus' planetary observations were the first to place the sun, and not the earth, at the centre of what is now known as the solar system. His heliocentric, cosmological revolution was condemned by Martin Luther. Born in 1473 at Torun on the Vistula, Copernicus studied abroad and was made a Canon at Frombork Cathedral, in Poland. He died in 1543. His grave was unmarked.

The hunt for his remains began in 2004. A Polish archaeologist, Jerzy Gassowski, started digging at the request of the regional Catholic bishop, Jacek Jezierski. The following year bones and a skull were located under floor tiles near one of the side altars in the 14th-century Roman Catholic cathedral in Frombork. The lower jaw was missing. "In the two years of work, under extremely difficult conditions – amid thousands of visitors, with earth shifting under the heavy pounding of the organ music – we managed to locate the grave, which was badly damaged," Gassowski said.

This week the archaeologist revealed he is now confident, thanks to forensic facial reconstruction of the skull, that it bears a striking resemblance to existing portraits of the astronomer. The reconstruction shows a broken nose and other features that resemble a self-portrait of Copernicus, and the skull bears a cut mark above the left eye that corresponds with a scar shown in the painting. The skull, furthermore, belonged to a man aged around 70 – Copernicus's age when he died. "In our opinion, our work led us to the discovery of Copernicus's remains but a grain of doubt remained," Gassowski said.

Swedish genetics experts were called in to analyse DNA from a vertebrae, a tooth and femur bone. The material was matched and compared to that taken from two hairs retrieved from a book that the 16th-century Polish astronomer once owned. The tome is kept in the library of Sweden's Uppsala University. "We collected four hairs and two of them are from the same individual as the bones," Marie Allen, a geneticist, said.

Copernicus, who studied eclipses, came up with his idea that the sun was at the centre of the universe between 1508 and 1514, and during those years wrote a manuscript commonly known as Commentariolus (Little Commentary). His theory prepared the way such scientists such as Galileo, Descartes and Newton.

-------------

All very interesting, but why bother? Are they wanting to clone him?!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Skylace
Admin


Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Copernicus' skeleton identified Reply with quote

faceless wrote:

All very interesting, but why bother? Are they wanting to clone him?!

Because it's there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
faceless
admin


Joined: 25 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, but archaeology generally has some practical application which leads to greater understanding. This doesn't do that at all...

It's just a bunch of geek bones.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Skylace
Admin


Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

faceless wrote:
Yes, but archaeology generally has some practical application which leads to greater understanding. This doesn't do that at all...

It's just a bunch of geek bones.

I have to disagree. It depends on what area of archeology you are in. This is just a part of history and will had to his story. It's something people have wondered for years. So it may not do anything for you but it does do something for those in historical circles.

Which also brings it back to the "Because it's there". Why did you climb that mountain? Because it was there? Why do they care about the bones, because they are finally there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
faceless
admin


Joined: 25 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I hope that when I die that some bugger doesn't come along in a few hundred years time and dig my bones up just because they can. There's no scientific or educational value in it as far as I can see.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Skylace
Admin


Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And I hope people stop climbing those mountains.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Couchtripper Forum Index -> Historically Yours All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum


Couchtripper - 2005-2015