To record achievements in international and Polish science would require far more space than this blog. Therefore I will focus upon just a few Polish contributors.
Mikołaj Kopernik (1473-1543) literally established the bases for modern astronomy. Known by his Latin name of Copernicus, he revolutionized the study of the universe by his work “De revolutionibus orbium coelestium” printed in 1543, the year of his death.
Copernicus asserted the theory that the sun was the center of the universe and that the earth rotated on its axis, revolving about the sun. For centuries mankind thought that the earth was the center of the solar system.
At first few people accepted Copernicus’ ideas. His theory could not be proved until Galileo invented the telescope. There was also much opposition from the Church which regarded the new theory as dangerous to some aspects of theology.
Copernicus should be remembered, too, as an outstanding doctor of ecclesiastical law (doktor prawa kościelnego), and an expert in medicine, economics and trade. Recently the world has celebrated the 500th anniversary of his birth, and much new literature is now available concerning this genius, a true “Renaissance man.”
Maria Sklodowska-Curie (1867-1934), known as Madame Curie, is often mistaken for a Frenchwoman because her married name is French. She was an outstanding chemist and physicist who collaborated in Paris with her husband in projects which resulted in the discovery of the radioactive element, radium. She received two Nobel prizes for her work, in 1903 and 1911. There are many excellent biographies of her in English as well as French and Polish.
Another of the famous poles is Kazimierz Funk (1884-1967), a scientist who revolutionized the study of nutrition in medicine in his work with “vitamins” as he named the substances he explored. Tadeusz Krwawicz (1910- ) developed new techniques in eye surgery and is well known in the world of medicine. His technique is used extensively, especially benefiting members of the older generation who suffer from cataracts which form on the eye and cause loss of vision. This Pole developed cryosurgery (kriochirurgia), or the frozen method of dealing with a delicate surgical problem, as the best possible low risk method.
Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)
