Pietro Blaserna and the Birth of the Institute of Physics in Rome: A Gentleman Scientist at Via Panisperna

172 Pages·2019·2.407 MB·English

by  Miriam Focaccia

Springer Biographies
Pietro Blaserna and
the Birth of the Institute
of Physics in Rome
A Gentleman Scientist
at Via Panisperna
MIRIAM FOCACCIA
Springer Biographies
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13617
Miriam Focaccia
Pietro Blaserna and the Birth
of the Institute of Physics
in Rome
A Gentleman Scientist at Via Panisperna
123
MiriamFocaccia
MuseoStorico della Fisica eCentroStudi e
Ricerche EnricoFermi
Rome, Italy
Dipartimento di FilosofiaeComunicazione
Universitàdi Bologna
Bologna, Italy
Translated byChristine V.Pennison
ISSN 2365-0613 ISSN 2365-0621 (electronic)
SpringerBiographies
ISBN978-3-030-10824-3 ISBN978-3-030-10825-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10825-0
ThisvolumewaspublishedwiththeconsentoftheDepartmentofPhilosophyandCommunication,Alma
MaterStudiorum-UniversityofBologna,thatholdsthecopyrightoftheItalianedition.
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2019931853
Translation from the Italian language edition: Uno Scienziato Galantuomo a via Panisperna—Pietro
Blasernaelanascitadell’IstitutofisicodiRomabyMiriamFocaccia,©CasaEditriceLeoS.Olschki,
Firenze2016.AllRightsReserved.
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Foreword
Theyear2019markstheconclusionoftherefurbishmentofthehistoricalbuilding
ofViaPanispernainRome, thebuildingeagerlydesiredandcarefullydesignedby
PietroBlasernatohostthePhysicsInstituteoftheUniversity.Inauguratedin1881,
thisbuildinglocatedontheViminaleHillwasformorethanhalfacenturytheseat
of a modern Physics Institute, where in the 1930s, Enrico Fermi and his group
performed the successful experiments on neutron-induced radioactivity and on the
slowing down of neutrons by hydrogen-rich materials that would earn Fermi the
Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938. In this building in 1897, Pietro Blaserna also
foundedtheItalianPhysicalSocietyofwhichhewastheFirstPresident,thefirstof
a series of eminent Italian physicists over the years such as Augusto Righi, Vito
Volterra,OrsoMarioCorbino,GiovanniPolvani,GilbertoBernardini,justtoname
a few.
In1935,withtheconstructionofthenewandbigUniversityCampusofRomein
a different location, the Physics Institute was moved therein and the existing Via
Panisperna’s building included amongst the neighbouring premises of the Italian
Ministry of the Interior.
In 1999, a special law, thanks to the initiative of a number of active and far-
sightedscientistsandpoliticians,decreedthereassignmentofthehistoricalbuilding
ofViaPanispernatothephysicscommunitywiththeestablishmentofanewpublic
research institution to be housed inside it. The institution, named Museo Storico
della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “Enrico Fermi”—Centro Fermi (“Enrico
Fermi” Historical Museum of Physics and Centre for Study and Research), was
meant to operate, according to Fermi’s legacy through forefront, interdisciplinary
research activities and at the same time to preserve Fermi’s memory through the
creation of a modern science museum.
v
vi Foreword
The publication of this volume on the life and achievements of Pietro Blaserna
twenty years after this law is a nice coincidence and a good omen for the future
of the Centre that bears today Enrico Fermi’s name.
Rome, Italy Luisa Cifarelli
Italian Physical Society, President
Centro Fermi, President
Preface
TheideaofwritingascientificbiographyofPietroBlasernaandtheopportunityto
do so arose in the context of the collaboration, which is now seven years old,
between the Department of Philosophy and Communication of the University of
Bologna and the Museo storico della fisica e Centro di studi e ricerche “Enrico
Fermi” (“Enrico Fermi” Historical Museum of Physics and Centre for Study and
Research) in Rome.
The environmentat the Centro Fermi is a stimulating and particularly proactive
one which, since 2012, has hosted amongst its various projects one on the History
of Physics called L’Istituto di Fisica di Pietro Blaserna: un approccio multidisci-
plinare alle origini, alle vicende e al suo sviluppo (Pietro Blaserna’s Physics
Institute: a multidisciplinary approach to its origins, history and development).
AnditwasinthesettingofthisprojectthatIstartedmyresearch,concentrating
above all on the figure of Blaserna in the role of Creator, and also First Director,
of the Physics Institute in Rome.
Blaserna’s personality was decidedly multifaceted, above all from the point of
viewofhisactivitiesasOrganiserandLeaderinresearchpolicybetweenthe1880s
and the first decade of the following century: it did not prove easy to follow his
activities and initiatives since he was engaged on multiple fronts.
He was Director of the Institute in via Panisperna, as we have already said, but
he was also a central figure in the life of the Accademia dei Lincei from 1877, as
well as Senator of the Kingdom from 1890, and Protagonist in numerous other
institutions, national and international scientific forums.
This institutional commitment was, according to some, to the detriment of his
scientific output, so much so that, after arriving in Rome to take up the Chair in
ExperimentalPhysicsin1872,heceasedpublishingoriginalresearch;accordingto
others, this activity of him showed an objective vision of science and of the lofty
goals that he attributed to the work of scientists in general.
It was not by chance that it was the Istituto in Via Panisperna that was con-
sidered by most tobe his greatest legacy and the most important testimonial tohis
activity: he was part of that circle of men of science including, Carlo Matteucci,
Quintino Sella, Stanislao Cannizzaro, progressives and enlightened, who laid their
vii
viii Preface
ownexperienceatthefoundationsofthegrowthanddevelopmentofthenewunited
Italy, who advanced a research policy that was at that point instrumental for the
modern nation.
Ihaveretracedtheeducationandtrainingofthis“gentlemanscientist”,hislater
workasLeaderintheorganisationofexperimentallaboratories, andhis activityin
the Accademia dei Lincei availing myself above all of the vast amount of archive
materialkeptintheArchiveoftheMuseodiFisica(PhysicsMuseum)andPhysics
Department of Rome La Sapienza University, in particular the Edoardo Amaldi
ArchiveandtheregistersofinvoicesandaccountsoftheInstituteitself;drawingon
the Blaserna Archive in the Biblioteca Corsiniana at the Accademia dei Lincei,
which holds his extensive correspondence with Italian and foreign colleagues, as
wellaswithpoliticalandinstitutionalpersonalitiesintheyearsstartingfrom1867;
consulting the correspondence with Cannizzaro, kept at the Accademia nazionale
delleScienzedettadeiXL(NationalAcademyofSciencesalsocalledtheAcademy
of the XL); the Blaserna Archive of the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione
(MinistryofEducation)intheArchivioCentraledelloStato(CentralStateArchive)
inRome;theArchiviostoricodelSenato(HistoricalArchiveoftheSenate),which
holds his speeches and statements; the Historical Archive of the University La
Sapienza of Rome; even scrutinising newspapers and scientific journals, including
Il Messaggero, Il Nuovo Cimento and Nature.
Thismaterial, whichisoftenunpublished,togetherwiththenumerousspeeches
and obituaries devoted to him by his contemporaries, helped me to draw a more
clearly defined picture of Blaserna. Indeed, apart from the profound studies by
Battimelli and Ianniello, as well as Linguerri’s detailed analysis of Blaserna as
President of the Accademia dei Lincei—works that were the starting point for my
own—he was a figure who until now has not been well enough known.1
In my opinion, this is due on the one hand to the universal success in the
following years of the work of Enrico Fermi and his group: a success that domi-
natedmostofthehistoricalandbiographicalinterestwithregardtotheInstituteand
on the other hand to the fact that, as has already been said, Blaserna did not leave
scientific works that “made history”, he did not give his name to laws or to
“effects”, even if, as Orso Mario Corbino, his successor as Director of the Roman
Institute,aswellassponsorandprotectorofFermi’sgroup,declared“littlebylittle
the Director became indistinguishable from the Institute that represented his
crowning work”.
TheOnoranzealprofessorPietroBlaserna(InhonourofProf.PietroBlaserna)
ontheoccasionofthetwenty-fifthanniversaryoftheInstitutecertainlyborewitness
to this sentiment: a real tribute to the Director beginning with: “The Physics
InstituteoftheRomanUniversity,created,builtanddirectedwithassiduouscareby
the Illustrious Prof. Pietro Blaserna has just completed its XXVth year of life”.
1Ireferinparticulareto:G.Battimelli—M.G.Ianniello,Fermiedintorni.Duesecolidifisicaa
Roma (1748–1960), Milano, Mondadori Università, 2012; S. Linguerri, Pietro Blaserna (1904–
1916),inScienziati,patrioti,presidenti.L’AccademianazionaledeiLincei(1874–1926),editedby
R.Simili,Roma-Bari,Laterza,2013,pp.100–142.
Preface ix
Although Blaserna had expressed a wish that the event should be celebrated dis-
creetly,“almostinafamilyway”,itbecametheopportunityforgreatexpressionsof
affection and esteem by the greatest personalities, not only scientists, of the day.
Alongside his students and closest colleagues, ministers and senators, rectors and
professors of other universities, the presidents of various scientific societies, many
members of the Lincei and even the King and the Queen Mother took part.
From the speeches of those who spoke the figure of Blaserna emerges as the
brilliantfounderoftheInstitute,towhichheprovedtobeanaffectionatefather,so
much so that “in part he had to step aside from his beloved research, and he
dedicatedhissoulasascientisttothedevelopmentoftheInstitute”;justashewasa
perfect teacher “who will certainly produce […] precious fruit in the field of
Physics”;andagreatpopulariserbecausehe“alsounderstoodhowusefulitwasfor
the culture of the nation to spread awareness of Science which is destined to
dominate all life’s manifestations”.
Vito Volterra, who had moved to Rome in 1900 as Mathematical Physicist,
actually appointed there by Blaserna, also joined in the chorus of those who hon-
oured their colleague with a speech given in the Senate on 27 February 1918:
I am an old colleague of Pietro Blaserna’s at the University of Rome and head of the
FacultywherehetaughtforoverfortyyearsandIexpressmyfeelingsofdeepgriefevoked
today by his death. He was appointed at Rome, together with Cremona and Cannizzaro,
when after 1870 our University was reconstituted on new bases. With great zeal he
immediatelysetaboutconstructingandorganisingthePhysicsInstitutewhichbecamethe
modelforourscientificinstitutes.Numerousillustriousstudentsofourinstitutebearwit-
ness to his tireless work as a master, which was confirmed by his gifts of spirit and
character,frank,good,gentleandloyal.Ofnoblesentiments,astrangertoanypettyenvy,
helovedtosurroundhimselfwithusefulandvaluedcollaboratorsand,withafervourwhich
did not wane with the passing years, he wished to have close to him colleagues who
alongsidehimwouldholdhighthephysicaldisciplinesinourUniversity.Soaroundhim
were kept alive the feelings of gratitude of those who loved and love the progress of
science, to whichhe contributed not only as ateacher but also as President of the Regia
AccademiadeiLincei,oftheItalianPhysicalSocietyandbynurturingandencouragingall
thoseinstitutionswhichgraduallyaroseinItalyanddevelopedtothebenefitoftheculture
ofourcountry.
TohismemorygothereverentrespectsofItalianmenofscience.
His “old colleague” was also able to commemorate him at the invitation of the
SecretaryoftheBureauInternationaldesPoidsetMesures(InternationalBureauof
Weights and Measures), which Blaserna had belonged to since 1897, then
becoming its secretary from 1901.
In that paper, retracing clearly and concisely Blaserna’s scientific and institu-
tional career, he recalled Blaserna’s main achievements and merits. “L’Institut de
Physique,bâtiàPanisperna,soussadirectionetsuivantlesplansqu’ilavaitconçus,
devint un centre d’études très important et très fréquenté”: his success as Director,
which made the institution “de jour en jour plus grand dans la vie scientifique
italienne”, always approachable and welcoming towards Italian and foreign
scholars;thefactthathewasagreatteacher,thathehad“ungrandnombred’élèves
qui ont occupé et qui occupent à présent les chaires de nos Universités”; his