Galileo Galilei: Science vs. faith
[first paragraph of article] Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), professor of mathematics at the University of Padua from 1592 to 1610, was a pillar in the history of our University and a symbol of freedom for research and teaching, well stated in the university motto ‘‘Universa Universis Patavina Libertas’’ (Total freedom in Padua, open to all the world). He invented the experimental method, based on evidence and calculation (‘‘science is measure’’) and was able, by using the telescope, to confirm the Copernican heliocentric theory, a challenge to the Bible. Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), in his book ‘‘The Problems of Philosophy’’ stated: ‘‘Almost everything that distinguishes modern world from earlier centuries is attributable to science, which achieved the most spectacular triumphs in the seventeenth century. Together with Harvey, Newton and Keplero, Galileo was a protagonist of this scientific revolution in the late Renaissance’’.
COVID-19 and Treatment and Immunization of Children—The Time to Redefine Pediatric Age Groups is Here
Children are infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as often as adults, but with fewer symptoms. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) in children (MIS-C), with symptoms similar to Kawasaki syndrome, was described in young minors testing positive for COVID-19. The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined MIS-C as occurring in <21-year-olds, triggering hundreds of PubMed-listed papers. However, postpubertal adolescents are no longer children biologically; the term MIS-C is misleading. Furthermore, MIS also occurs in adults, termed MIS-A by the CDC. Acute and delayed inflammations can be triggered by COVID-19. The 18th birthday is an administrative not a biological age limit, whereas the body matures slowly during puberty. This blur in defining children leads to confusion regarding MIS-C/MIS-A. United States and European Union (EU) drug approval is handled separately for children, defined as <18-year-olds, ascribing non-existent physical characteristics up to the 18th birthday. This blur between the administrative and the physiological meanings for the term child is causing flawed demands for pediatric studies in all drugs and vaccines, including those against COVID-19. Effective treatment of all conditions, including COVID-19, should be based on actual physiological need. Now, the flawed definition for children in the development of drugs and vaccines and their approval is negatively impacting prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in minors. This review reveals the necessity for redefining pediatric age groups to rapidly establish recommendations for optimal prevention and treatment in minors.
The unfolded universe of elementary particles. A geometric explanation of the standard model structure
We propose a geometric explanation of the standard model of Glashow, Weinberg and Salam for the known elementary particles. Our model is a generic Quantum Field Theory in dimension four, obtained by developing along a Lorentz sub-manifold the lagrangian of Einstein and Dirac in dimension twelve. The main mechanism which gives birth to the standard model is a certain gauge fixing of triality, which permits to identify the multiplicity of fermions, as seen from the four dimensional world, with the eight unseen dimensions of the generating universe. In this way we get the known tables of particles, explaining the series of fermions and the gauge bosons. We suggest that the Higgs field dynamics could appear through a bosonization of the right handed neutrino and correspond to a displacement in the unseen dimensions. We also propose hypotheses for dark matter, and perhaps dark energy. Then we suggest predictions to go beyond the standard model.