Scientist Burned at the Stake

An Italian scientist was burned at the stake because of his ideas about God and the universe. Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) was an astronomer and a philosopher who was tried and condemned by the Inquisition. He thought that space was infinite, the sun and its planets were but one of a number of similar systems, and that there might be other worlds with intelligent life. Even as recently as 2000 AD the Catholic Church maintained Bruno's execution was justified.