The factors that led European dominance in the emergence of the first global age is the advanced of weaponry, caravel, Christianity, conquistadores, Great Dying, mercantilism, Middle passage, colonization, and trade.
In basic scientific research, Europe's world dominance began with Copernicus in 1500s.
Conquistadores is the Spanish conquerors of the America. Great Dying is the devastation of American Indian populations by diseases brought over from Europe.