Abstract
In 1482, a new edition of Ptolemy's Geography was published. This transformed 15th-century perceptions of the shape and size of the earth. ‘Brave new worlds’ shows how Ptolemy's Geography provided the template to be used by 15th- and 16th-century voyages of trade and discovery culminating in the discovery of America, which went on to shape today's ideas on the modern world. The discovery of America revolutionized Renaissance Europe's world picture. It was partly responsible for defining Europe's change from a medieval world to a more modern one. It also brought to the surface a fear of the new and unknown which battled with a desire for wealth.
