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Cronologia di una scoperta
Questo libro si prefigge lo scopo di avvicinare il lettore a un personaggio che a cavallo di due secoli ha percorso un itinerario di vita premio Nobel per la Medicina, senatrice a vita e promotrice di tante iniziative solidali di respiro internazionale. L'autrice, accanto a Rita Levi-Montalcini da circa quarant'anni, ha voluto ricostruire per temi il pensiero e il senso della vita della grande scienziata, riportando particolari inediti della sua esistenza e componendo come in un mosaico le opinioni più chiare sulle questioni a lei più il rapporto fra ricerca ed etica, il confronto con i giovani, il peso dell'intuizione nell'arte come nella scienza, e le grandi speranze per il futuro del mondo. Testimonianza ammirata della vita esemplare di una donna, definita la first lady della scienza, che sin da giovanissima si è consacrata alla ricerca scientifica e all'impegno nel progresso civile. Un impegno che ha contagiato e continua a contagiare le persone che l'avvicinano, motivandole nelle loro scelte e attività, come testimonia il grande affetto che suscita la Montalcini tra i giovani. Come summa degli alti valori morali che hanno contrassegnato tutto il percorso di Rita Levi-Montalcini, la lucidità del suo pensiero, frutto anche della fiducia nelle potenzialità dell'uomo, questo libro si propone quindi come una sorta di viatico per quanti si sentono smarriti di fronte alle sfide, alla complessità e al caos di questo inizio di millennio.
- GenresScience
194 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Rita Levi-Montalcini
45 books61 followersRita Levi-Montalcini (Italian pronunciation: [ˈrita ˈlɛvi montalˈtʃini]; 22 April 1909 – 30 December 2012) was an Italian neurologist who, together with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nerve growth factor (NGF). Also, from 2001, until her death, she served in the Italian Senate as a Senator for Life.
Rita Levi-Montalcini had been the oldest living Nobel laureate and the first ever to reach a 100th birthday. On 22 April 2009, she was feted with a 100th birthday party at Rome's city hall.
Born on 22 April 1909 at Turin to a wealthy Italian family, she and her twin sister Paola were the youngest of four children. Her parents were Adamo Levi, an electrical engineer and mathematician, and Adele Montalcini, a painter.
In her teenage years, she considered becoming a writer and admired Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf. Adamo discouraged his children from attending college as he feared it would disrupt their lives as wives and mothers but he eventually supported Levi-Montalcini's aspirations to become a doctor anyway. Levi-Montalcini decided to attend University of Turin Medical School after seeing a close family friend die of stomach cancer. While attending, she was taught by neurohistologist Giuseppe Levi who introduced her to the developing nervous system.
Rita Levi-Montalcini died in her home in Rome on 30 December 2012 at the age of 103.
Upon her death, the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, stated it was a great loss "for all of humanity." He praised her as someone who represented "civic conscience, culture and the spirit of research of our time." Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack told Sky TG24 TV in a tribute to her fellow scientist, "She is really someone to be admired." Italy's premier, Mario Monti, paid tribute to Levi-Montalcini's "charismatic and tenacious" character and for her lifelong endeavor to "defend the battles in which she believed."
In 1968, she became the tenth woman elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences.
In 1983, she was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.
In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and collaborator Stanley Cohen received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, as well as the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.
In 1987, she received the National Medal of Science, the highest American scientific honor.
In 1991, she received the Laurea Honoris Causa in Medicine from the University of Trieste, Italy. On that occasion, she expressed her desire to formulate a Carta of Human Duties as necessary counterpart of the too much neglected Declaration of Human Rights. The vision of Rita Levi-Montalcini came true with the issuing of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties and the foundation in 1993 of the International Council of Human Duties, ICHD, at the University of Trieste.
In 1999, Levi-Montalcini was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.
In 2001, she was nominated Senator-for-life by the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
In 2006, Levi-Montalcini received the degree Honoris Causa in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin, in her native city.
In 2008, she received the PhD Honoris Causa from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
She was a founding member of Città della Scienza.
On her religious views, Rita was born into a Jewish family and later become a professed atheist.
Rita Levi-Montalcini had been the oldest living Nobel laureate and the first ever to reach a 100th birthday. On 22 April 2009, she was feted with a 100th birthday party at Rome's city hall.
Born on 22 April 1909 at Turin to a wealthy Italian family, she and her twin sister Paola were the youngest of four children. Her parents were Adamo Levi, an electrical engineer and mathematician, and Adele Montalcini, a painter.
In her teenage years, she considered becoming a writer and admired Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf. Adamo discouraged his children from attending college as he feared it would disrupt their lives as wives and mothers but he eventually supported Levi-Montalcini's aspirations to become a doctor anyway. Levi-Montalcini decided to attend University of Turin Medical School after seeing a close family friend die of stomach cancer. While attending, she was taught by neurohistologist Giuseppe Levi who introduced her to the developing nervous system.
Rita Levi-Montalcini died in her home in Rome on 30 December 2012 at the age of 103.
Upon her death, the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, stated it was a great loss "for all of humanity." He praised her as someone who represented "civic conscience, culture and the spirit of research of our time." Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack told Sky TG24 TV in a tribute to her fellow scientist, "She is really someone to be admired." Italy's premier, Mario Monti, paid tribute to Levi-Montalcini's "charismatic and tenacious" character and for her lifelong endeavor to "defend the battles in which she believed."
In 1968, she became the tenth woman elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences.
In 1983, she was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.
In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and collaborator Stanley Cohen received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, as well as the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.
In 1987, she received the National Medal of Science, the highest American scientific honor.
In 1991, she received the Laurea Honoris Causa in Medicine from the University of Trieste, Italy. On that occasion, she expressed her desire to formulate a Carta of Human Duties as necessary counterpart of the too much neglected Declaration of Human Rights. The vision of Rita Levi-Montalcini came true with the issuing of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties and the foundation in 1993 of the International Council of Human Duties, ICHD, at the University of Trieste.
In 1999, Levi-Montalcini was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.
In 2001, she was nominated Senator-for-life by the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
In 2006, Levi-Montalcini received the degree Honoris Causa in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin, in her native city.
In 2008, she received the PhD Honoris Causa from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
She was a founding member of Città della Scienza.
On her religious views, Rita was born into a Jewish family and later become a professed atheist.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 2, 2020
5
da rileggere
da rileggere
August 23, 2012
Mi spiace...bravabrava la Montalcini, c'hai il Nobel, sei senatrice a vita, c'hai 103 anni e sicuro è più di quanto camperò io etc etc...ma non sono riuscita a leggere questo libro senza la consapevolezza che quella roba così entusiasmante, a casa mia, si chiama vivisezione.
Decenni di vivisezione descritta con la massima naturalezza. Ah, pure con una discreta pesantezza, che va bene il non banalizzare, ma per i miei gusti, nonostante molto vagamente sappia cosa sono le citochine o il TNF, era diventato anche troppo scientifico. A cui vanno aggiunti pure diversi errori di stampa. Dai, vabbè, bella la carta e la copertina rigida con sovraccoperta.
Decenni di vivisezione descritta con la massima naturalezza. Ah, pure con una discreta pesantezza, che va bene il non banalizzare, ma per i miei gusti, nonostante molto vagamente sappia cosa sono le citochine o il TNF, era diventato anche troppo scientifico. A cui vanno aggiunti pure diversi errori di stampa. Dai, vabbè, bella la carta e la copertina rigida con sovraccoperta.
November 8, 2009
It's very interesting to get a rough idea how research takes place and to see than beyond the rigorous application of scientifical rules there is a lot left to randomness and intuition. This is not supossed to be a scientifical publication but still is very hard to understand if yuo're not in the field!
October 29, 2012
inspiring. she is one of my hero, she helps me to do my best in my job. I'm proud of being an Italian researcher for what she has done and has given to us, women in science and the worldwide community.
Thanks Rita..you are a great researcher, but even more you are an amazing woman. grazie
Thanks Rita..you are a great researcher, but even more you are an amazing woman. grazie
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews