ROME - Italian and British scientists want to exhume the body of 16th century astronomer Galileo for DNA tests to determine if his severe vision problems may have affected some of his findings. The scientists told Reuters on Thursday that DNA tests would help answer some unresolved questions about the health of the man known as the father of astronomy, whom the Vatican condemned for teaching that the earth revolves around the sun. DNA tests may determine if vision problems affected some of his findings I'm not sure I understand the point of all this now? What do they hope to prove by testing the DNA of a man that has been dead for centuries? How are we going to know what he saw then when space has changed over the centuries? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28791775/
You mean you really don't know why?.. Well....it's very important. I can tell you that right now. I mean; this way we'll know. Really know. It doesn't matter whether or not we need to know.. we just want to know - y'know? Truth is I think its a big waste of time and resources... But then again.........what the heck do I know??
Geeeeesh. The world economy if falling apart, there is warfare in the Middle East, Iran is rattling its sabre, and some Bozo's want to exhume this man's body for what ? Pitiful
In this particular case; what is the benefit of this knowledge? How would someone use it in a practical manner?
Please, this boils down to a group of boys with DNA test kits with nothing better to do then exhume and test, there is no controversy here, they are bored children.
Agreed. Isn't there something better they can do with their time and money, than testing something thats not going to change anything anyway?
To a point, Zachary Taylor was exhumed and had was tested for arsenic poisoning which does have some actual bearing on history, this does not.
So the point basically is to find out why Galileo made mistakes when looking at the planets (particularly Saturn)? If so that shouldn't affect any of his major theories, so this is sort of something just to wet these guys' interest. To each their own I guess.
How do you know it won't change anything? I mean christ, I'd bet half the stuff researched never benefits anyone or doesn't work out how people had hoped, that doesn't mean that they shouldn't do it if that is what they want to do and they have the resources to do it.
Hmm...perhaps after lads have finished wit Snr Galileo, they can then exhume Shakespeare to discover if he was right or left handed.
It's not like they are putting the money in a pile and burning it, it will still be in the economy. Even if it's not for some earth-shattering discovery, if some of the fundamental astronomy research may have been off and we have to opportunity to discover it, why not? Money has been spent on a lot worse things.
