Galileo Galilei is a seminal figure in the history of science. His 1633 trial before the Holy Office of the Inquisition is the prime drama in the history of the conflict between science and religion. In Galileo's day, Rome was the capital of a sovereign theocratic power, which in 1600 had executed Giordano Bruno on similar charges and reserved the right to torture Galileo. Galileo was then sixty-nine years old and the most venerated scientist in Italy....