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The strange story of the grave of Copernicus

journal contribution
posted on 2024-09-09, 01:52 authored by Darius von Guttner Sporzynski

This article recounts the fascinating search for the lost grave of Nicholas Copernicus, the Renaissance polymath who revolutionised our understanding of the universe. Buried in Frombork Cathedral in 1543, the exact location of his remains was lost for centuries. Archaeologists, guided by historical theories, discovered skeletal remains in 2005 near the altar Copernicus had been responsible for. Through advanced forensic methods, including DNA analysis comparing hair samples found in Copernicus's astronomical texts, researchers identified the remains with a high degree of certainty. This discovery not only resolves a long-standing mystery but also exemplifies the power of modern scientific techniques in historical investigation.

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