Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds

Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds is a popular science book by French author Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, published in 1686. Content The work consists of six lessons popularizing the knowledge of René Descartes and Nicolas Copernicus, given to a Marquise, spread over six evenings and preceded of a preface and a dispatch To Monsieur L*** . First evening. That the Earth is a Planet which turns on itself, & around the Sun. Second evening. That the Moon is an inhabited Earth. Third night. Peculiarities of the Moon World. That the other Planets are also inhabited. Fourth evening. Peculiarities of the Worlds of Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn . Fifth night. That the Fixed Stars are so many Suns, each of which illuminates a World. Sixth evening.  New thoughts that confirm those of previous Interviews. Latest discoveries that have been made in Heaven. Analysis Unlike many scientific works of its time, Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds was not written in Latin but in French, making it one of the first books to attempt an explanation of scientific theories in a popular language. A precursor to it could be seen in Giordano Bruno's 1584 book .