Lecture (in German)

Ernst Peter Fischer
Extraordinary Professor for the History of Science, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Author and Publicist

Schering Stiftung | Unter den Linden 32-34 | 10117 Berlin
Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 7 p.m.

In 1960, laser light was artificially created for the first time by physicist Theodore H. Maiman, employing a ruby as prism. Back then, without any specific idea of how to employ their new discovery, his colleague Irnee J. D’Haenens commented on their joint success by saying “We now have a solution looking for a problem”. Over the past 50 years, however, laser technology has developed rapidly and is nowadays applied in a wide range of fields in industry, science and entertainment. Moreover, artists such as Li Hui are also fascinated by the unique qualities of the bundled light.

In his talk, Ernst Peter Fischer, scientist and historian of science, will give an introduction into the development and uses of laser technology and talk about the perspectives it offers for art and science.

Ernst Peter Fischer, (*1947), is a mathematician, physicist, biologist and Professor emeritus for the History of Science at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg. He is author of many books, among them writings about education and evolution, a biography of Max Planck (2007) and a history of the Charité in Berlin. His most recent book “Laser” was published with Siedler-Verlag. He has received many honorary awards for his work, among them the Sartorius-Preis of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen.

The lecture is meant to enlarge upon the questions raised by the exhibition “CAGE” by Li Hui and was initiated in order to intensify the dialogue between artists and scientists and to increase the public awareness for aspects of artistic research.

 Lecture announcement as pdf

Photos: Martina Schrammek