Galileo Galilei
Turned a telescope on the sky, found four moons around Jupiter, and was tried for saying the Earth moves.
Books
Sidereus Nuncius1610The short book where he reported what his telescope showed, from the Moon's mountains to Jupiter's moons.
Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems1632Copernicus against Ptolemy as a conversation among three friends. This is the book that took him to trial.
Two New Sciences1638His last book, written under house arrest, on motion and the strength of materials.
Mentioned in
In praise of asking, part one
Answers got cheap, so where does a good question come from? The story starts with a parrot asking “What’s that?” in front of a mirror, and goes on to silent classrooms and an AI that never needs anything.