Education.

Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Poland in 1473. As a young man he excelled in his studies at the University of Cracow, developing in the process a particular fascination with the subjects of astronomy and mathematics. Abandoning his native Poland in 1496, Copernicus traveled to Italy to continue his education. A decade of study at some of Italy's leading universities exposed him to the scientific thought of the ancient Greeks and Romans. A somewhat shy and conservative man, Copernicus at this stage of his life certainly did not appear to be the sort of intellectual whose work would eventually revolutionize astronomy and call into question traditional European conceptions of humankind's place in the universe. After returning from Italy to his Polish homeland, in fact, Copernicus became a Catholic clergyman and led a relatively obscure life at the cathedral in Frauenberg. During his...