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The rapid expansion (from a size smaller than an atom) and cooling down of the universe. Caused the continuous expansion of the universe that still occurs today.
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Gravity began to create concentrations of heat that continued to grow until they became so hot that hydrogen atoms fused, releasing immense amounts of energy and creating stars.
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An early evolutionary form of humans. The most recent ones have been dated around 160,000 yrs.
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Made the first (accurate) measurements of the circumference of our Earth using the angle of the sun's rays.
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Presented the theory that all matter was made up of one of 4 elements: fire, water, earth, and air, and that our universe was geocentric.
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Disproved Ptolemy's geocentric theory and proposed the heliocentric theory, which is still used in modern society.
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Another man who disproved Ptolemy's theories (specifically that the planets and their orbits are perfect circles/spheres).
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He is considered the father of empiricism who (once again) disproved another one of Ptolemy's theories.
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Was one of the first people to believe in Copernicus's theory of a heliocentric universe, and provided more evidence for it.
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He invented analytical geometry, and believed that nothing was true unless it could be (beyond a doubt) proven).
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Created the periodic table to help organize the chemical elements for all the world, and tried to estimate the properties of future elements.
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She discovered red and blue shift, paving the way for future astronomer Edwin Hubble and disproving Newton's theory.
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Made the theory of tectonic plates, though no one believed him until after he died (trying to prove it).
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Using Leavitt's red/blue shift theory, he discovered that the universe isn't infinite and has actually been growing exponentially.
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Proved Wegener's theory of continental drift by showing the world how new crust was pushed up from the mantle through seafloor spreading.
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Along with her husband, she discovered radiation and it's side effects, in addition to a couple of new elements.
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Today we still use information and theories from most of these scientists and astronomers, and continue to advance these fields every day.