“We are just an advanced species of monkey on a minor planet orbiting a star of average size, but we can understand the universe and that makes us very special.” Last week I was reminded of this famous sentence Stephen Hawking, when I had the privilege to talk with Garik Israelian, a brilliant astronomer of Armenian descent who spent nearly two decades exploring deep space from the top of Teide, at the Institute of Astrophysics Canaries.
For this great scientist, astronomy is essential not only to understand the laws of nature that govern the formation of galaxies, stars and planets, but also to develop many technological applications to be gained this knowledge and improve our lives on Earth. But also consider that Israelian “knowledge of the universe can transform the view that humans have of ourselves and our place in the Cosmos” . In his opinion, this is perhaps the greatest treasure we can bring astronomical research to Humanity “build a free society mentally questioned everything that arises where we come from and where we go”
. In recent weeks, we have rechecked the tragic and horrifying consequences that can trigger a fundamentalist worldview, according to which we are on earth to meet the supposed will of a god that will reward us in a future paradise if degollamos to the enemies of our faith.
the face of these delusions, we must continue to fight for the global expansion of a scientific view of reality as Stephen Hawking or defending Garik Israelian. Above all provincial borders and tribal, nationalistic, religious or ideological divisions, all human beings belong to the same species of primate intelligent (although sometimes that intelligence is conspicuous by its absence!) That shares fragile ecosystem of a Privileged Planet with Biosphere , in a small corner of the universe.
And considering that, according to the astronomers have found over the last two decades, in our galaxy there are thousands of millions of planets in regions considered habitable (not too close or too far from its star), it seems clear that we are not the navel of the Cosmos or something very exceptional, but only one of many worlds which have emerged life forms (more or less “intelligent”).
For this way of understanding ourselves and our place in the universe for millennia-research-forged to permeate society, is crucial that the science out of laboratories , and scientists involved in the public dissemination of knowledge.
That is why I find it so exemplary and commendable Starmus Festival has driven Dr. Israelian from the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands. “To attract young people and all people to science, the most important is the inspiration,” he explains this astronomer. He knows first hand because when I was a teenager, astrophysics never interested, and even caused her rejection, until he began to read science fiction novels of Lem Asimov and Clarke .
Starmus whose second edition was held in Tenerife between 22 and 27 September, with Stephen Hawking invitada- main star is designed precisely to encourage vocations and passion for scientific research. Facing the irrationality and barbarism of all extremism, humanity needs more than ever to thrive initiatives with slogans like this great celebration of astronomy: “Discover the Universe and change the world”
- Pablo Jáuregui is editor of Science in THE WORLD. mono_pensante
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