From Copernicus, who put the earth in orbit around the sun, to Isaac Newton, who gave the world universal gravitation, the Scientific Revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries transformed the way Europeans understood their world. In this book, Peter Dear offers an accessible introduction to the origins of modern science for students and general readers. This second edition further explores the practice and influence of alchemy, the social standing of early scientists, and the role of medicine and medical practitioners. Provides a comprehensive overview of principal themes and topics Discusses central figures, including Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, and describes the world in which they lived--and the new world they helped create Features a rich variety of illustrations, a glossary of terms, and a list of further reading