NBIA Colloquium by Itamar Procaccia, Weizmann Institute

Homer the Astronomer, or When did Odysseus Return Home

We would like to invite you to this week’s (Zoom) Colloquium on

                          Friday, March 12 at 3:15 PM

Speaker: Itamar Procaccia (Weizmann Institute)

Abstract: The ancient Greeks considered Homer an astronomer and a wise man, even before his obvious talents as a story-teller. Indeed, both the Odyssey and the Iliad are profusely studded with  astronomical references. I will review the evidence that careful reading of the Odyssey supports the claim that it is possible to nail down the day of return of Odysseus to Ithaca to one and only one day, which is 16 of April 1176 BC. This is of course consistent with the presumed date of the war on Troy.

Bio: Itamar Procaccia received his PhD in Theoretical Chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1976. Subsequently, he worked as a postdoctoral research associate in MIT. In 1979 he was appointed to the Dept. of Chemical Physics at the Weizmann Institute, where he became Professor  In 1985, Chair in 1987 and Dean of the faculty in 1989.

His research focuses on Nonlinear and Statistical Physics of complex, chaotic, random and disordered systems. 

To participate on Friday, click on

https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/j/61333932427 

The colloquium will be moderated by Poul Henrik Damgaard and we strongly encourage you to participate actively by asking questions during the talk. Poul Henrik will briefly remind you how this can be done just before the colloquium starts.