The medieval Oxford friar who worked out the makeup of planets and stars

Richard Fishacre used his knowledge of light and colour to argue against fifth element' theories of the day

About 800 years ago, Richard Fishacre, a Dominican friar at the University of Oxford, challenged the scientific thinking of the day, using his understanding of the behaviour of light to show that stars and planets are made of the same elements as found on Earth. Though he faced heavy criticism at the time, Fishacre would probably have been delighted to learn that very similar principles are being used to make discoveries today.

During his lifetime it was believed that Earth was made up of four elements - fire, water, earth and air - while the stars and other planets were made from a special transparent and unchanging fifth element.