Conseil de Physique Solvay centenary
One hundred years ago the celebrated first Conseil de Physique Solvay took place in Brussels, with the participation of the leading physicists of the time. It marked a profound rupture between the old classical physics and the new quantum physics that described the strange behaviour of nature at the microscopic level. The conference was one of the most important events in the advent of the quantum revolution; no such physics conference since has acquired the same legendary status.
To celebrate the centenary of this unique conference, the International Solvay Institutes is organizing a series of exceptional events that will make Brussels the world capital of physics, for ten days in October. The programme is as follows.
Thursday October 13: Opening of the exhibition ‘Brainstorming in Brussels – One Hundred Years of Solvay Conferences’, in the building of the Belgian Academy. The exhibition will stay in Brussels until the end of 2011, when it will travel within Belgium. The exhibition is open to all, however the opening is by invitation only.
Friday October 14: A workshop, ‘The Early Solvay Councils and the Advent of the Quantum Era’. Open to all, registration mandatory.
Monday October 17: An evening performance of Michael Frayn’s ‘Copenhagen’, with Alan Heeger and David Gross in the respective roles of the Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. The actress Fiona Shaw will play the role of Margrethe Bohr, with Nancy Kawalek directing. The event will be free and open to all, registration is mandatory.
Sunday 23 October: Solvay Public Event ‘The Future of Physics’ with two lectures by William Phillips and Franck Wilczek, followed by a panel discussion chaired by David Gross. This event will be free and open to all, registration is mandatory.
For more information, please visit the Solvay Institutes website.
