On September 25, at 8 p.m., in the historic Sala Lanza of the Palermo Botanical Garden, the “Hidden Universe” conference will take place, an unmissable evening to explore the secrets of the universe in the company of one of the world’s most important scientists: Professor Alessandro De Angelis.
Organized as part of the 13th edition of the International School of Physics (Idpasc), this event represents a unique opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in the most fascinating and little-known topics of contemporary astrophysics, a real window into the invisible universe and the messengers who inhabit it.
Alessandro De Angelis, an internationally renowned physicist and full professor at the University of Padua and the Polytechnic of Lisbon, is a leading researcher in high-energy astrophysics and particle physics. Collaborating with the National Institutes of Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, he is among the designers of the Magic Telescope in the Canary Islands and the NSA Fermi Space Telescope, and in the 1990s he was part of the CERN team in Geneva.
He has published more than 700 research articles in the most prestigious journals, including Science and Nature, and is among the most cited scientists in the world. As Scientific Attaché for Representation to International Organizations in Paris, he leads the debate on the regulation of artificial intelligence within the OECD in Italy. His passion for scientific publishing has led him to write numerous articles, in particular on Galileo Galilei, as well as to participate in international events and conferences, with the aim of making the most complex and fascinating phenomena of the universe accessible to the general public.
His latest book is “The Hidden Universe” (Castelvecchi, 2024), which will be presented on September 25 at the Botanical Garden of Palermo. During the evening, De Angelis will give an emotional and precise overview of one of the most extraordinary intellectual achievements in the history of science: the discovery of cosmic rays and the emergence of multi-messenger astrophysics.
“Starting with Galileo, who was the first to point the telescope at the sky and discover – as Alessandro De Angelis puts it – new stars invisible to the naked eye, science has expanded the boundaries of the visible thanks to increasingly sophisticated instruments. Today we are facing a new frontier: multi-messenger astrophysics, which studies cosmic rays and gravitational waves. It is a fascinating story in which Palermo plays a central role. Bruno Rossi, the father of this science, chose Palermo to return to Italy in 1974 from Boston, which had been expelled because of racist laws. In Palermo, he passed on the baton to his brilliant disciple Livio Scarsi, and founded a world-famous school, which is still active today.”
“We are honored by the presence of Professor De Angelis in Palermo. His speech represents a unique opportunity for the citizens and is an event of great value for the whole University given the prestige of his colleague and his international role,” says Professor Giovanni Marsella, organizer of the Idpasc School and head of the Astroparticle Group of the Emilio Department of Physics and Chemistry.
“I have had the opportunity to collaborate with De Angelis for a few years and I am sure that he will be able to make us experience the emotions and wonder of the new approach in astrophysics that is changing the way we understand and study the sky,” continues with enthusiasm Dr. Manuela Malamasi, also the school organizer and researcher at the Department of Physics and Chemistry – Emilio Segre, who will present the evening.
The Botanical Garden of Palermo, with its enchanting atmosphere, will be the perfect setting for this evening dedicated to science. In the historic Sala Lanza, surrounded by centuries-old plants, the public will be able to let themselves be transported by De Angelis’ passion and expertise, living a unique experience of discovery and knowledge.
Free and open to the public while places last, this event is an unmissable opportunity for anyone who wants to delve into the most fascinating secrets of our universe, and why not, purchase a signed copy of The Hidden Universe.
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