Mathematics and astrophysics: a journey through the laws of the universe
Mathematics is a discipline which, although it may appear abstract and distant from everyday reality, plays a fundamental role in understanding the phenomena that regulate the universe. This is the message that emerges from the INAF traveling exhibition, entitled “From zero to ∞. Equations, formulas and unknowns of a symbolic representation of the cosmos, which aims to explore the great laws of physics through a visual and interactive journey.
The Castle of San Pelagio in Due Carrare (Padua), also known as the Museum of Flight, will host the event starting from 3 May 2024, offering visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in an enveloping, enriched from giant images and extra content available on the Edu Inaf website. The cost of the entry ticket to the castle includes access to the exhibition, with differentiated rates for adults and children.
Mathematics: universal language to describe the cosmos
Mathematics, like astrophysics, has two faces: on the one hand it is a set of autonomous knowledge, on the other it represents the only language through which we can describe the “ocean” of stars that surrounds us. The exhibition highlights this duality, starting from the simple formulation of the Pythagorean theorem to arrive at more complex concepts such as Einstein’s equation E = mc² or Drake’s formula.
The exhibition itinerary begins with a breathtaking view of planet Earth, seen from the International Space Station, and connects to the formulation of the Pythagorean theorem, showing how this mathematical law is applicable only in a Euclidean space and not in a spherical context like that of our planet.
Special events and meetings with astronomers
During the summer months, the exhibition will be enriched by a series of special events for the public, activities for families and meetings with astronomers. Among these, “Space Game”, a journey to discover the Solar System, and a series of meetings with astronomers from INAF, who will offer stories on specific themes of astrophysics research.
Information on the events will be available in the “news” section of the Castello di San Pelagio website, while a playlist with the multimedia cards of the exhibition will be accessible to further explore the contents displayed.
In conclusion, the exhibition “From zero to ∞” represents a unique opportunity to get closer to the world of mathematics and astrophysics, discovering how these disciplines are able to reveal the secrets of the universe and provide us with a key reading to interpret the meteorological and astronomical phenomena that surround us.
