How stellar parallax provided direct evidence for heliocentrism

A star’s tiny shift showed that Earth moves around the Sun

As Earth moves around the Sun, nearby stars appear to shift slightly against more distant stars. Friedrich Bessel measured this effect in 1838, giving the first direct experimental proof that Earth moves around the Sun.

Fewer Egyptian girls had undergone genital cutting

In Egypt, 61% of girls aged 15–17 had undergone female genital mutilation in 2014, compared with 37% in 2021. Women's support for the practice also fell, from 75% in 2000 to 30% in 2021. Legislative reforms, awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement contributed to the declines.

The sea makes summers cooler and winters warmer

Places near the sea usually have cooler summers and warmer winters than places farther inland. Oceans store huge amounts of heat, and currents and winds move some of that heat around the planet.

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How stellar parallax provided direct evidence for heliocentrism

A star’s tiny shift showed that Earth moves around the Sun

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