In the footsteps of Copernicus: Padova and Uppsala

For over a half millennium the life and work of the Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus has been described and discussed in countless publications. And yet there are some aspects of his life, as well as the whereabouts of his remains that are relatively unknown to the general public. One of the less explored episodes is the period Copernicus spent at the Padova University in Italy. Another is the recent detective story of identifying his genetic material at the University of Uppsala in Sweden deserves more recognition. In this article we intend to shed light on these less familiar facts about Copernicus, hoping that the reader will be enticed to visit the two amazing historical cities: Padova and Uppsala.