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© 2025 The Complete History of Science
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A podcast exploring the history of science from the beginning. We will cover all of the most important scientific discoveries from Archimedes to Newton to Einstein. The aim is to give a complete overview of how science evolved and how it shaped the modern world.
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Music credit:Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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Photo credit: "L0015096EB" by Wellcome Library, London is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Image has been cropped.
42 Episodes
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After years of struggle, Johannes Kepler finally had the tools and data to wage what he called his “War with Mars.” Rejecting ancient assumptions he used Tycho Brahe’s observations to discover his first two laws of planetary motion. His New Astronomy not only redefined celestial mechanics but transformed astronomy from a geometric art into a true physical science. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com...
In 1600, Johannes Kepler arrived at Tycho Brahe’s castle hoping to escape religious persecution and gain access to the most precise astronomical data in Europe. Their relationship was strained by clashing temperaments — Tycho’s secrecy and pride meeting Kepler’s impatience and ambition — yet their collaboration began to bear fruit as Kepler tackled problems of planetary motion and optical theory. Despite constant uncertainty, Kepler’s time at Benátky marked the beginning of a partnershi...
Johannes Kepler rose from a difficult childhood to become a brilliant but unconventional student, deeply influenced by his Lutheran faith, Copernican astronomy, and a belief in divine harmony within the cosmos. In Graz he developed his bold first theory, published in Mysterium Cosmographicum, which linked the orbits of the planets to the five Platonic solids and made him one of the earliest open defenders of heliocentrism. Facing religious persecution and desperate for accurate data, Ke...
Tycho Brahe’s observations of the Great Comet of 1577 and his discovery of atmospheric refraction led him to reject solid celestial spheres and reassess the structure of the cosmos. Seeking an alternative to both the Ptolemaic and Copernican systems, he developed a geo-heliocentric model in which the Sun orbited the Earth while the planets orbited the Sun, a theory he supported with years of precise measurements, including a (mistaken) parallax for Mars. Though he failed to find definitive pr...
In 1576, Tycho Brahe was offered something no astronomer had ever received before: an island of his own. On the remote Baltic isle of Hven, Tycho set out to build the most advanced observatory in Europe. But just as construction began, a brilliant comet appeared in the night sky. For Tycho, it was more than a celestial spectacle: it was a chance to test Aristotle, challenge old ideas, and prove that careful observation could overturn centuries of dogma. This episode traces Tycho’s...
13/06/25 - Episode was removed due to audio errors and reuploaded. Sorry! In 1572, a mysterious new star appeared in the sky, defying the ancient belief that the heavens never changed. Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman with a passion for astronomy, set out to uncover the truth. His meticulous observations challenged established ideas and sparked debates among scholars. But Tycho’s journey wasn’t just about science, it was a struggle against family expectations, social norms, and the limits...
In this episode we trace the early development of magnetism and the compass—from ancient Chinese navigation to the groundbreaking insights of medieval and Renaissance Europe. The episode highlights the work of Peter Peregrinus, a 13th-century scholar whose detailed experiments with magnets laid the foundation for future magnetic science, and Robert Norman, who devised a method to reveal the mysterious “dip” of the magnetic needle. It also explores early efforts to understand magnetic dec...
At the start of the 17th century Harvey finally put all of the pieces in place. He had discovered that blood circulates through the body with the heart acting as a pump. Realising that he was undermining a millenia of Galenism, he set out carefully, working to convince his peers of his discovery. He made many public demonstrations to support his findings, meeting both support and controversy. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofsc...
In 1602, William Harvey joined the College of Physicians to secure his medical career, but behind the scenes, he was conducting bold anatomical research. Through dissections, vivisections, and innovative experiments on blood flow and the heart, Harvey began challenging Galen’s teachings. His relentless curiosity would soon lead to the groundbreaking discovery of blood circulation. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehis...
In late 1599, William Harvey, having completed his B.A. at Cambridge, sought further education abroad. His father, a successful businessman, funded his journey to Padua, a renowned center of medical learning. At Padua, Harvey encountered the teachings of Aristotle, particularly the idea of understanding the "final cause" of things, which influenced his approach to medicine. He also studied under Hieronymous Fabricius, who combined Aristotelian philosophy with detailed dissections, shapi...
Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.social Music Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Realdo Colombo, a former student and colleague of Vesalius, challenged aspects of Galenic anatomy and made significant strides in understanding blood circulation. Through vivisection, Colombo discovered that blood circulates through the lungs, a finding that corrected earlier theories and contributed to a major shift in Renaissance anatomical and physiological studies. His work, though not initially credited, played a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge and laid the groundwork f...
Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.social Music Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
The background and early life of the great renaissance anatomist Andreas Vesalius. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.social Music Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
This episode explores the pivotal encounter in Nicolaus Copernicus's later life when he met the young mathematician known as Rheticus. Rheticus, a prodigy from the University of Wittenberg, sought out Copernicus in Frombork, Poland, to learn more about his heliocentric theory. Despite their differences, Rheticus and Copernicus's collaboration that resulted in the publication of Copernicus's groundbreaking work, 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres.' Support the show Support the s...
In this episode we delve into the early life of Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer who challenged the geocentric model of the universe. From his upbringing in Torun, Poland, to his academic journey at Jagiellonian University and travels to Bologna and Rome, follow Copernicus's passion for astronomy amid societal expectations. Discover the pivotal moments that led to his groundbreaking heliocentric model, which revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos. Support the show Support the show:...
Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.social Music Credit: Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
In the late medieval period, while Europe obsessed over Aristotle's natural philosophy, the Islamic world entered the zenith of astronomical discoveries. In this episode, we explore the remarkable contributions of two great astronomers, al-Tusi and al-Shatir. Amidst the dominance of Ptolemaic astronomy, they embarked on a mission to unravel its lingering problems. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com BlueS...
In this episode we delve into the life and legacy of the enigmatic Roger Bacon. Once considered a magician with fantastical abilities, Bacon's reputation transformed over the centuries, oscillating between mystical figure and scientific pioneer. Born in 1220, Bacon's journey through Oxford, Paris, and his unexpected entry into the Franciscan order unfolds against the backdrop of a changing Europe. Join us as we explore Bacon's intricate blend of philosophy, optics, and experimental science, s...
Perhaps the greatest orginal contribution to science in the medieval period was initiated at Merton College Oxford. A group of scholars worked to mathematise nature and prove new theorems decribing motion. Meanwhile in Paris, another scholar was working on a theory which undermined Aristotle's theories of motion and paved the way for Newtonian Mechanics. Support the show Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Contact: thecompletehistoryofscience@gmail.com Blu...
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This is a terrific series for anyone interested in the history of science. It's very carefully researched and well written, and each episode encompasses exactly the right amount of history - you understand how one insight developed or how one dogma was transferred or overturned. It's a podcast that I listen to regularly, and I wouldn't do without it.
Happy to find this channel on castbox. Many thanks!