Scientists Identify Body of Copernicus

DNA proves elderly man buried in Poland is father of astronomy

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 20, 2008 6:20 PM CST

(Newser) – More than 400 years after Copernicus determined man's place in the universe, scientists returned the favor by pinpointing his grave in an old Polish cathedral. Using DNA from a tooth and a bone, scientists identified a 70-year-old man buried in an unmarked grave as the... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

9 comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Discover (Source Grid »)

Mission to find him 'seemed like an impossible task'
CSEP10

A closer look on Copernicus' discovery
CSEP10

Science

astronomy • Copernicus

More Newser Stories

Check Out Last Night's Supermoon

Biggest full moon of the year

(NEWSER) - Last night brought this year's "supermoon," the point in which the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit. The moon was some 15,300 miles closer to us than usual, making it look about 14% bigger, an expert tells the AP . Unfortunately, "you'd be very hard-pressed to detect that with the unaided eye," he says. Still, the event resulted in some impressive photography from around the globe. More»

Don't Forget: 'Supermoon' Tonight

It occurs when the moon is nearest Earth in its orbit

(NEWSER) - The biggest and brightest full moon of the year will grace the skies tonight. The "supermoon," which occurs when the moon is nearest Earth in its orbit, will appear only slightly smaller than last year's, which was the brightest full moon in nearly 20 years. It will become full at 11:35pm but there's no need to keep the kids up late to see it, notes USA Today : The best time to view the huge moon will be just after it rises in early evening. More»

New California Gold Rush: Searching for Meteorite Bits

Ancient space rock can fetch $1K a gram

(NEWSER) - The fireball that exploded over California last week did more than just produce a window-shaking sonic boom—it also scattered pieces of meteorite over, fittingly enough, a 30-square-mile portion of the state's Gold Country region. News of the extremely rare type of space rock sent scientists and treasure hunters alike to California, where the window for locating the rocks is brief—their chemistry could be changing, and they would be wiped away by heavy rain, the Los Angeles Times notes. "This is scientific gold," says one astronomer. "We want to learn about this asteroid." It's also something like gold to those who recover a piece, which can fetch $1,000 a gram. More»

Astronomer Gets Cameron to Re-Shoot Titanic Scene

Stars were in wrong positions

(NEWSER) - Remember the scene in Titanic in which Kate Winslet clings to a piece of wood, promising Leonardo DiCaprio that she'll "never let go?" (And then she lets go?) Well, apparently, the stars shown in the night sky during that scene were all wrong. But never fear: James Cameron has fixed the problem, ensuring the stars will be seen in their correct positions in the upcoming 3D version of the film. More»

Rare 'Rectangular' Galaxy Spotted

'Emerald cut' shape probably the result of two galaxies colliding

(NEWSER) - The vast majority of galaxies fall into one of three categories—football-shaped, irregular, or a disc with spiral arms. But LEDA 074886 is a strange one. When viewed from our planet, the dwarf galaxy has a strange, rectangular, "emerald cut" shape. Its discoverers believe the galaxy is shaped like a cylinder, and we are seeing it from the side, National Geographic reports. "The alternative shape, a cube, seems too bizarre to contemplate," says the leader of the team that spotted the boxy galaxy. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Scientists Identify Body of Copernicus

DNA proves elderly man buried in Poland is father of astronomy

astronomy • Copernicus

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Check Out Last Night's Supermoon

Biggest full moon of the year

Don't Forget: 'Supermoon' Tonight

It occurs when the moon is nearest Earth in its orbit

New California Gold Rush: Searching for Meteorite Bits

Ancient space rock can fetch $1K a gram

Astronomer Gets Cameron to Re-Shoot Titanic Scene

Stars were in wrong positions

Rare 'Rectangular' Galaxy Spotted

'Emerald cut' shape probably the result of two galaxies colliding

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?