ICTP LaserFest 13 November 2010

Watching your favourite movies on DVD. Surfing the web. Scanning barcodes at the grocery store. For the past 50 years, lasers have revolutionized the way we live. This milestone marks one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century! Through lectures, demonstrations and fun activities, ICTP's LaserFest will help to showcase the prominence of the laser in today's world.

• WHEN: Saturday 13 November, 10:00 to 16:00
• WHERE: ICTP Leonardo Building, Main Lobby
• Free entrance! Open to all!

The days activities include lectures by Mario Bertolotti, Professor of Physics, University di Roma 'La Sapienza', on Da Einstein a Maiman; la storia di un fascio di luce, and Gianluca Valentini, Associate Professor of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, on lasers and cultural heritage.

Displays include:
The Life of the Laser: When was the first laser invented? Who were the scientists involved? Learn about major milestone in the laser's development, from its birth in the 1960s to its most sophisticated uses today, through a display of laser photos and facts. A laser expert will be on hand to answer your questions.

Lasers in Action: A brief video about the laser laboratory ELETTRA.

Lasers and microscopes: Learn how scientists use laser "tweezers" to help them manipulate microscopic objects as small as a single atom.

PLUS laser games!

Click here for Programme.