Today (05.02.18) marks the 75^th anniversary of a lecture in Dublin regarded as one of the most important scientific lectures of all time.

On 5^th February 1943, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Professor Erwin Schrödinger, then Director of Theoretical Physics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), delivered the first of his renowned ‘What is Life?’ lectures.  He delivered further lectures in his ‘What is Life?’ series over the following month.

Collectively, the lectures which were hosted by Trinity College Dublin, are credited with transforming our understanding of genetics and inspiring the discovery of DNA.

Schrödinger in Ireland

Professor Schrödinger had been brought to Ireland by Éamon de Valera on the eve of World War II.  As an outspoken and high-profile critic of the Nazi regime, he had been forced to flee his native Austria.

De Valera, who was Taoiseach at the time, was determined to establish a high-level research institute in Ireland – the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies – and approached Schrödinger to be the first Director of its School of Theoretical Physics.  Schrödinger remained in that post until his retirement in 1955, when he returned to Austria.

Commenting today, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, said: “We are immensely proud to have had Professor Erwin Schrödinger as the first Director of DIAS’s School of Theoretical Physics.

“DIAS is home to a rich treasure trove of historical artefacts from Schrödinger’s time in Dublin. Along with lots of fascinating photographs of Schrödinger with Éamon de Valera, we have a letter to Schrödinger from Francis Crick crediting ‘What is Life?’ as an influence in his and James Watson’s discovery of DNA.”

Speaking today, Professor Werner Nahm, Director of the School of Theoretical Physics said: “At the DIAS School of Theoretical Physics, we are very proud to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of this hugely influential lecture series, delivered by our first Director.

“Schrödinger’s ‘What is Life?’ lecture series not only brought a broad range of theoretical physics concepts to the non-expert but have also been widely credited with inspiring the discovery and decoding of DNA, our genetic building blocks.”

‘What is Life?’

The lectures delivered by Schrödinger 75 years ago dealt with the physical aspects of living cells; specifically, with the bearing of quantum theory on the structure of chromosomes and the nature of mutation.  They presented an early theoretical description of the storage of genetic information and have been credited as a source of inspiration in the discovery of DNA and subsequent decoding of the human genome.

The lectures were public lectures addressed to a general audience. The requirement to give such lectures was written by de Valera into the act establishing DIAS.

The ‘What is Life?’ lectures were subsequently published in a book of the same name and translated into German, French, Swedish, Japanese, Italian and Russian.

At the time, the lectures were covered by international outlets such as Time Magazine, as well as Ireland’s national media.

Further information about DIAS and Erwin Schrödinger is available here :  https://www.dias.ie/category/stp/stp-history/#Statutory_Public_Lectures.

ENDS

Further information, contact: Eva Dowling / Martina Quinn, Alice PR & Events. Tel: 083-1496045 / 087-6522033, email: media@alicepr.com

Notes to Editor

Notes to photo editors

To mark today’s anniversary, DIAS have released a series of photos and newspaper clippings from Erwin Schrödinger’s time at DIAS from their archive.  These are available by emailing eva@alicepr.com.

About DIAS

DIAS was founded by Éamon de Valera in 1940 as a centre of excellence for advanced scholarship focused on three disciplines: Celtic Studies, Theoretical Physics and Cosmic Physics.  As a globally embedded institution which attracts scholars and academics from around the world, it conducts and publishes advanced research. The organisation also leads Ireland’s participation in a number of international research endeavours, runs the Dunsink Observatory and coordinates a range of national initiatives on behalf of government.  Further information is available at www.dias.ie.

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