Scientific Thinking One of the most important aspects of the age in which we live is the rise of modern science. European science goes back to the ancient Greek and Romans. However, during the troubles of the Middle Ages, much of this heritage was lost. As ancient Greek manuscripts came to the attention of European scholars, there took place a kind of rebirth in scientific thinking.

It was not enough simply to rediscover and study the scientific writings of ancient writers. Something else was needed to make science modern- the spirit of testing through critical thinking and experimentation. It was not enough to accept what ancient writers, such as Aristotle, has said. The new scientists learned to questions everything and to test ever "truth".

Observation This new spirit led to a rise in scientific study. At the beginning of the Renaissance, most science in Europe consisted of mathematics and medicine. By the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Renaissance had opened new horizons and increased curiosity about the workings of our planet and the universe. The new science interested itself in astronomy, the study of the universe beyond the earth; physics, the science of matter and energy; botany, the study of plants; and zoology, the study of animals. The new scientists insisted on seeing for themselves through actual observation, or careful studying, how nature worked. Whenever possible the new scientists conducted experiments to test their observations.

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Discovering ancient science manuscripts stimulated European Renaissance scholars to observe scientifically, developing the sciences of astronomy, physics, botany and zoology.