Scientist and science communicator Carlos Fiolhais will be in Loulé to speak on the theme «Let there be Light! Is Light when it's born for everyone?”, in another session of the conference cycle “Horizontes do Futuro”, which will take place next Thursday, at 21 pm, in the Salão Nobre of the Paços do Concelho de Loulé.
The Loulé autarchy took advantage of the 2015 celebration of the International Year of Light to invite the renowned and interventionist physicist, university professor and Portuguese author.
«Light is the physical phenomenon to which we owe life (without light, energy carrier, coming from the Sun, there could be no life on Earth) and our knowledge of the world (both through visible light and invisible light). Light, very clearly these days, is also technology, which makes life more comfortable: But light is also a metaphor for understanding, reason and truth. Light can also mean good, as in Plato's “metaphor of the Sun”, states the Chamber of Loulé.
«By drawing attention to light, in this Year of Light, it is intended not only that there is greater awareness of the phenomenon, but also a better use of light for the benefit of our common life on the planet. With several examples from history and culture, the speaker will show the enormous power that light has had in attracting the attention of human beings. In a simple rainbow, for example, there is a lot of science at the same time as there is also art and poetry», added the municipality.
Carlos Fiolhais was born in Lisbon in 1956, holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Frankfurt and is a professor at the University of Coimbra. He is the author of 140 scientific articles, including the most cited by authors in Portugal. He is the author of the books “Fun Physics”, “New Physics Fun” and “Darwin ao Tiros and Other Stories of Science”, in Gradiva, among several others, some of which have been translated and published abroad. He recently published “History of Science in Portugal” and “Library Joanina”.
He directed the General Library of the University of Coimbra and today directs the Rómulo – Centro Ciência Viva of the University of Coimbra. He directs the Knowledge area of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. He received several awards and distinctions, including the Rómulo de Carvalho prize, the SIC Golden Globe and the Order of Infante D. Henrique. He is the coordinator of the 2015 National Commission – International Year of Light.
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