Italian Entry: Italian Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was a cultural and philosophical movement that took place in Europe during the 18th century. This movement was characterized by the loss of faith in God and the exaltation of scientific theories. This was the period during which Newton and Voltaire formulated their theories. The Enlightenment began in England and in France but it rapidly spread to other European countries. In Italy, the Enlightenment spread moderately compared to England and France. In Italy, the roots of the Enlightenment were the several scientific discoveries that contradicted what the Catholic Church had sustained throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The people started to describe the Church as a carrier of ignorance and superstition. In Italy, the Enlightenment (Illuminismo) spread also as a literary idea that was anti-God and pro-science. The literary style associated the Enlightenment with was the complete opposite of Romanticism in which God was praised and the logic was rejected because not able to explain many phenomena. The major exponents of Italian Enlightenment were Carlo Goldoni, Pietro Verri and Cesare Beccaria. Goldoni was a play-writer; Verri created the magazine Caffè, while Beccaria wrote books on the fundamental freedoms and collaborated to run the Caffè.

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Science Entry: Electric circuits

More and more objects in the Modern Era rely on electricity. The basic item of an electrical system is called electric circuit, a complete path through which electric current can flow. Simple circuits are based on an energy source, some conducting wires and a resistor, but other elements can be added. An energy source provides the energy, while a switch is used to open and close the circuit. A resistor is a device, such as a light bulb, a computer or a microwave oven that converts electrical energy to another form of energy such as heat or light. An important information about an object in a circuit is related to its resistance. Objects with low or medium resistance are called conductors, and allows current to flow freely inside them. Objects with very high resistance are called insulators, and current do not flow easily inside them. The energy passes through the conductor in the wire while the insulator around the conductor protects people from electric shocks. Insulating materials are important in a circuit because if two conductors come in contact, they create an unintended path (also called a short circuit) causing a malfunction of the circuit itself.

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Novel 7: The Blue Hawk by Peter Dickinson

The protagonist of the Blue Hawkby Peter Dickinson is the boy Tron. Secondary characters include Odah, the King and the One of Sinu. The antagonists are the priests and the Mohirrim. The story takes place in an ancient Egyptian-like world and specifically in the Temple, the Palace and the Pass of Gebindrath. The story-time is not specified but it takes place between the 1000 and 200 B.C. There are several gods and Tron is a priest of Gdu. Tron, under the influence of Gdu, steals the Blue Hawk, Gdu's servant. Tron uncovers a conspiracy organized by the priests against the King and flees. He discovers that the Mohirrim are invading the kingdom and with Odah and the Major Priest of Sinu removes a curse from the kingdom. He discovers that the gods are prisoners of that world and frees them. This is a fascinating novel and is a fictional example of the struggles between the monarchies and religions.

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