GalileoGalilei (1564-1642) a contemporary of Johannes Kepler, was a physicist, philosopher and significant developer of astronomy, mathematics and physics. He was also one of many scientists persecuted by the CatholicChurch. He was under house arrest for years. He authored OnMotion?. If you read AngelsAndDemons? by Dan Brown, you could wonder if Galileo or his followers initiated TheIlluminati.
See also NicolausCopernicus