In this episode of Quotable History, host Will Henry unpacks one of the most iconic quotes in the history of science, and the centuries of bold thinkers who made it possible. From Copernicus quietly challenging church doctrine, to Galileo facing the Inquisition, to Newton himself calculating the laws of the universe during a plague lockdown, we trace the legacy of those who dared to question the world around them.

This isn’t just the story of Newton. It’s the story of a revolution, the Scientific Revolution, and the brave minds who built the intellectual scaffolding that modern science stands on.

We’ll also examine why institutions often resist groundbreaking ideas, and what this history can teach us about the pursuit of truth in today’s world.

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🙏 Special thanks to Rachel Henry—for her unwavering support and essential editing work behind the scenes.

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Sources:

https://www.biography.com/scientists/isaac-newton

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Newton

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Galileo-Galilei

https://www.biography.com/scientists/nicolaus-copernicus

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolaus-Copernicus

https://iep.utm.edu/rene-descartes/

https://galileo.library.rice.edu/sci/brahe.html

https://galileo.library.rice.edu/sci/kepler.html

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/24520/6-things-you-should-know-about-isaac-newton

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bacon_francis.shtml