If the 20th century belonged to electronics, this one will belong to light. Here is why an entire year is being dedicated to light, the source of a more sustainable and peaceful future.
"Let there be light." This could well be the motto accompanying us throughout 2015, designated as the International Year of Light (IYL 2015) by the United Nations and Unesco. An entire year dedicated to raising shared awareness of how light-based technologies can provide solutions to global challenges in areas such as energy, education, agriculture and healthcare. Technologies that could transform the 21st century into the century of light. All the more so given that, exactly one century ago, Albert Einstein formulated the theory of relativity, placing light at the very heart of the concept of space-time.
On 19 January at Unesco headquarters in Paris, the official opening ceremony will take place, with an event dedicated to the "1001 inventions of Ibn Al-Haytham", often cited as the father of modern optics. The event will bring together scientific societies, organisations, educational institutions, technology platforms, NGOs and private-sector partners under the same banner. Hundreds of events will be held around the world, including in Italy. John Dudley, chair of the IYL 2015 steering committee, stated:
The International Year of Light is an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that both international policymakers and stakeholders are aware of the enormous potential held by light-based technologies".
"Light is linked to the entire development of science'", said to Ansa the president of the National Institute of Metrological Research (Inrim), Massimo Inguscio. "Just think of the light from galaxies, which allows us to travel back in time through the history of the universe, or of the fact that understanding the nature of light has always gone hand in hand with science, from the theory of relativity to quantum physics."
A year dedicated to enthusiasts, but not only. It spans from optics to astronomy, from generating energy from light to optical fibres, to super-efficient LEDs (awarded the Nobel Prize in 2014 for their contribution to improving quality of life). But also lasers used in medicine and the illumination of buildings in developing countries.
Our entire world revolves around light, starting with that emitted by the Sun, without which life would not exist.