Scientific Revolution (Civ5)/Civilopedia

A scientific revolution is a period when rapid advances in human knowledge or technology overturns the current worldview, as a result triggering yet more advancements in thought and knowledge. Much of Europe underwent a scientific revolution in the 16th century, following the publication of Nicolaus Copernicus' work, "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres" and Andreas Vesalius' "On the Fabric of the Human Body In Seven Books." Both used modern (for the period) scientific practices to examine parts of the world around them and overturned incorrect scientific theories, some dating back to the ancient Greeks. Following the success of these books, the floodgates were opened, and scientists began carefully examining everything around them, and human knowledge increased exponentially over the succeeding centuries.