These questions will open the debate and will bring us to think about present and future of science and literature.
News
El repte nuclear: l’amenaça de la destrucció massiva mundial
Once atomic energy was channeled into a weapon of war, the threat of war became intrinsically intertwined with the possibility of mass destruction. During the Cold War, this threat was at the forefront of many minds in America, Europe, China, and the Soviet Union, but geopolitical dynamics shifted, avoiding a nuclear holocaust. Nevertheless, in the recent years, the increasing confrontation between nuclear powers, modernization—and in some cases, expansion—of their nuclear arsenals, as well as interruptions in international dialogue on arms control and disarmament, have led to the re-emergence of the threat of nuclear war.
Svante Pääbo guanya la Cinquena Edició del Premi Hipatia!
The Hypatia Prize, awarded by Barcelona City Council in collaboration with the Academia Europaea Barcelona Knowledge Hub, will recognise Nobel Prize laureate Svante Pääbo for his groundbreaking work in sequencing the genomes of extinct human groups, a feat that has revolutionised our understanding of human evolution.
See the announcement: https://www.barcelona.cat/barcelonaciencia/en/actualitat/noticies/barcelona-will-grant-the-5th-hypatia-award-to-biologist-and-geneticist-svante-paabo-1459528
Determinants socials i ciència mèdica
La teoria social ha demostrat que les societats viuen més i millor gràcies a la seva cultura solidària i als determinants que la fan possible. ¿i la ciència biomèdica? ¿Quin paper juga en aquest context? Els avenços en la pràctica clínica, fruit de tanta tenacitat i mètode, també són rellevants, però menys que els determinants socials, fins a l’extrem que, en un entorn de màxima tensió demogràfica, el futur de la humanitat es juga, sobretot, en la reducció de les desigualtats, l’equitat en l’accés als serveis socials i sanitaris, la innovació sostenible, l’oferta de serveis valuosos i el respecte per al medi ambient. Activitat gratuïta.
Ponents: Josep Maria Argimon, director de relacions amb sistemes de salut, Pasqual Maragall i Jordi Varela, metge i gestor.
Moderat per Marta Aymerich, Directora de l’Health Center, UOC.
Acte híbrid.
Per a més informació: aebarcelona@fundaciorecerca.cat
Experimentació en animals
VII AGORA: December 4, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Animal experimentation is a controversial topic that raises several pros and cons. On the one hand, most scientists argue that it is essential for scientific and medical progress. Using animals in experiments allows researchers to study complex biological processes, test new therapies, and evaluate the safety of pharmaceutical products before testing them in humans. This can lead to the development of more effective and safer medical treatments, saving lives and improving public health. On the other hand, detractors of animal experimentation highlight the ethical and animal welfare aspects involved. So, while animal experimentation can provide significant scientific benefits, it also raises ethical and welfare concerns that need to be taken into account.
Invited speakers:
Lluís Montoliu, National Center for Biotechnology-CSIC, Madrid.
Núria Almirón, Co-Director, UPF Centre for Animal Ethics Director, MA in International Studies in Media, Power, and Difference; Director, COMPASS Research Project; Member, CRITICC Research Group ,
Moderator: Cristina Junyent, biologist, editor and science communicator, Barcelona
Free entry.
Hybrid event: At RACAB, La Rambla, 115, Barcelona and online.
To watch the session, click here
DISPUTATIO 2024
Technological disruption: Social Challenges of the Artificial Intelligence Revolution
The simultaneous rise of both information technology and biotechnology threatens to transform the economy, particularly the labour market, as well as social and political powers, and even the biological makeup of humans. The future development of artificial intelligence (AI) will pose challenges that are currently difficult to imagine. As with climate change, policies restricting certain technological advancements in one country, such as the United States, do not prevent another, such as China, from pursuing them; soon thereafter, the international community begins developing the same technologies to avoid being left behind in a competitive world. Additionally, the wide range of opinions on the ethical implications of technological advancements in AI and bioengineering could lead to the adoption of different guidelines by different countries. To prevent a potentially dangerous snowball effect, nations need to agree internationally on ethical guidelines for technological advancements and innovations.
To watch the session online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81064336728
SUMMARY OF ART AND SCIENCE MEETING
Save the date 4th Edition Hypatia Ceremony: 4th of March
The international expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Nuria Oliver, scientific director and co-founder of the Ellis Foundation Alicante, has won the IV edition of the European Barcelona Hypatia Science Award (Hypatia Prize), promoted by the Barcelona City Council in collaboration with the Barcelona Knowledge Hub of the European Academy. The award, with an endowment of 30,000 euros, is given to him for his research in the development of new methods and AI systems to promote a positive social impact, a trajectory of exceptional international impact that has resulted in more than 40 registered patents.
