February 19 is Polish Science Day, celebrated on the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus. According to recent data, Poland is home to 578 universities and scientific institutions. The country has over 1.2 million students, more than 24,000 doctoral candidates, and just over 82,000 full-time academic teachers. This year marks the fifth celebration of Polish Science Day, chosen to honor Copernicus' birthday in recognition of his outstanding contributions beyond astronomy. The day aims to inspire people to follow in the footsteps of Polish researchers and to foster a greater interest in science.
The celebration coincides with the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), one of Poland's most distinguished researchers. This year, on February 19, we commemorate the 551st anniversary of his birth. His seminal work, "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," which articulated the heliocentric theory, revolutionized global science. Copernicus also made significant contributions to fields such as economics, law, medicine, and cartography.
The establishment of this national holiday, as detailed in the justification of the January 9, 2020 law, is "an expression of the highest recognition for the achievements of native scientists in the over 1000-year history of our nation and state." The proponents emphasized that for centuries, science has been a crucial driver of intellectual, social, and economic development.
