Tycho Friggin Brahe

When trying to think of cool things we learnt this year one of the first things that comes to mind is this guy:

The magnificent Tycho Brahe. He's pretty darn awesome but he was introduced to me by my favourite lecturer so I may be slightly biased I don't know. He is almost on a par with Tesla

I guess most importantly not only did he revolutionise astronomical instruments, he made accurate astronomical measurements which provided the foundations for Keplers discoveries later.

But then there are just these cool eccentric details of his life. Like his nose was cut off in a duel with a fellow student over a mathematical formula and he wore a gold false nose.He also had a pet elk who fell down the stairs and died after drinking too much at a party... I heard that he died when his bladder burst because at a dinner with the king he drank too much wine and was not allowed to leave the table in the presence of the king to relieve himself. However his grave was recently reopened and an autopsy performed that found traces of mercury which suggests poison although the motives for his murder are pure speculation.

Although born in Denmark he died and was buried in Prague where I actually visited his grave in the Chruch of Our Lady of Tyne.

I checked my facts by this page which has some hilariously sarcastic footnotes.