Summary
Antonino “Nino” Zichichi, a distinguished Italian experimental physicist and key figure in Pope John Paul II’s dialogue between science and faith, has passed away at 96. Born in Trapani, Sicily on October 15, 1929, Zichichi studied physics at the University of Palermo before moving to high-energy particle physics research in Europe and the United States. He worked at CERN near Geneva and Fermilab west of Chicago from 1960s onward. In his decades-long career, he contributed to numerous international physics projects and was a respected interlocutor for the Vatican on matters of science and faith. Zichichi helped present rigorous scientific concepts in a way that aligned with Catholic theology during John Paul II’s papacy. He criticized theories such as Darwinian evolution and anthropogenic climate change due to their perceived lack of scientific rigor, though he maintained that reason and faith are allies according to Pope John Paul II. In his tribute, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni called Zichichi a “giant of our time,” emphasizing the scientist’s contributions to both science and religion.
Key Topics
Vatican City, John Paul II, Zichichi
