On Ascension Day (Thursday, May 17), Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf, outgoing president of the KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences) and from 1 July the new director of the prestigious Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, will give a live class in the programme De Wereld Draait Door (DWDD). In the context of DWDD University, he will teach viewers about the origins of the universe and our planet Earth under the title ‘Big Bang’. Matthijs van Nieuwkerk will assist the professor in his speech.
Published by the editorial team, 14 May 2012
During his presentation, viewers can hear sounds of the cosmic microwave background radiation (heat radiation emitted during the Big Bang). This sound is made available by the Westerbork telescope.
From the dome church in Amsterdam, Dijkgraaf will explain an interested audience of about three hundred people how the universe was created, how we know this and all the things we still don’t know. Through spectacular animations, a model of the universe and simple demonstrations, Dijkgraaf gives us insight into the most complex issues. Dijkgraaf takes the viewer into the latest scientific findings about the universe and also leaves room for philosophical inquiry. Is there intelligent extraterrestrial life and are we really made of star dust?
You can see the lecture on Ned 3 at 19.25 hrs in De Wereld Draait Door University.
Click here for the original press release of De Wereld Draait Door.