He died yesterday at the age of 96 Antonino Zichichi, one of the greatest Italian and European scientists, a prominent figure in the panorama of particle physics, but also an untiring diffuser and witness of an open dialogue between science and faith. His life, spent among cutting-edge research, civil commitment and spiritual reflections, is an example of how knowledge and spirituality can live together and nourish one another.
A life dedicated to research and dissemination
Born in 1929 in Bagheria, Sicily, Zichichi soon imposed himself as one of the protagonists of the physics of high energies. Graduated in physics at the University of Bologna, he worked in the most prestigious international research centers, including the CERN in Geneva, where he led important experimental groups. In 1965, his team made a fundamental discovery by observing for the first time the antideutone, a result that opened new perspectives in the study of antimatter. President of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics and the European Physical Society, Zichichi was also the founder of the Centre for Scientific Culture “Ettore Majorana” in Erice, a meeting place between scientists, intellectuals and young researchers, a symbol of his commitment to spreading scientific culture and the dialogue between different knowledge.
His thoughts on science and God
Zichichi never hid his Catholic faith, indeed he considered it an integral part of his intellectual activity. In his books, including “The Infinite”, “Because I believe in the One who has made the world” and “Between Faith and Science”, he argued that science does not depart from God, but can lead to astonishment in front of a deep harmony enrolled in the cosmos. “Science gives everyone a great dignity,” he said, “and it is the instrument that makes us understand that we are made in the image and likeness of the Creator”. This position, both courageous and original, attracted criticism, but also a great esteem among those who see in scientific research a path of discovery that can and must be accompanied by spiritual reflection.
The face of disclosure and dialogue
Also recognizable to the general public thanks to his television appearances and social networks, Zichichichi has been able to explain complex concepts with simplicity and passion. His charismatic presence and his intense gaze seemed to go beyond the screen, inviting a deep reflection on the wonder of the universe. Faithful to his mission as a divulner, in recent years he had also opened up to social media, sharing thoughts of science and spirituality with fearful and deep words.
Private life and moral heritage
In 2024, Zichichi lost Maria Ludovica, the partner of a life, also she was a talented scientist and daughter of physicist Gilberto Bernardini. Their history, made of love and passion for research, has always represented an example of intelligence and humanity. In moments of pain, Zichichi stressed that love also leaves an indelible mark, transforming and handing down over time.
The last few years had spent them among his beloved Sicily, between San Vito Lo Capo and the memories of a life dedicated to science and dialogue. He fondly remembered his nephew Manfredi, a symbol of a continuity of thought and passion for knowledge.
A legacy that remains
With the disappearance of Antonino Zichichi we lose one of the most original and deep voices of the Italian and European cultural panorama. His life leaves us the legacy of an example of integration between science, faith and moral responsibility, an invitation to look at the universe with wonder and respect, recognizing in every law a message of order and meaning. A great scientist, a man of faith and a bridge between different worlds, who has been able to testify how the search for truth can also be a search for meaning, and how science can be companion of a spiritual journey towards the deepest mystery of existence.
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