SFI Fractal Faculty Carlo Rovelli has been awarded the 2024 Lewis Thomas Prize for Writing about Science. The award, named after its first recipient Lewis Thomas, a writer, educator, and physician-scientist, honors and recognizes those who have been able to use their vision and voice to explain science in multiple dimensions. These individuals not only provide discovery, but also provoke thought, reflection, and conversation.
Rovelli's remarkable breadth of work spanning topics from photons to atheism to quantum theory has captivated readers worldwide. Some of his most notable books have been translated into more than 50 languages. His international bestseller Seven Brief Lessons on Physics offers a concise yet profound exploration of some of the most fundamental concepts in modern physics. The Order of Time, Helgoland, and Rovelli’s essay collection There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness cover not only quantum theory but prove reality, explore the concept of entropy and its relation to time, and decode the strange realm of quantum mechanics.
“In the conflicted world of 2024, the abiding, idealistic voice of Rovelli’s essay collection There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness feels especially valuable,” says Jesse H. Ausubel, chair of the selection committee.
Rovelli will be presented the prize at The Rockefeller University on April 9.