Accademia dei Lincei

The Accademia dei Lincei, also called the Lincean Academy, was a special group of scientists and thinkers in Italy. It started in Rome in 1603 by a man named Federico Cesi. They chose the name because of the lynx, an animal known for its very sharp vision, showing how they wanted to see the world clearly through science.

One of the most famous members was Galileo Galilei, a great scientist who helped us understand how the planets move. He even used to sign his name as "Galileo Galilei Linceo" to show he was part of this group. Sadly, the original academy stopped working around 1651.

Many years later, in the 1800s, people started the group again. Today, there are two big groups that come from the old Accademia dei Lincei: the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the national academy of Italy. These groups keep studying science and learning new things, just like the first members did long ago.

First Accademia

The first Accademia dei Lincei was founded in 1603 by Federico Cesi, an aristocrat from Rome who loved studying nature, especially plants. Cesi started the academy with three friends when he was only 18 years old. They named it after the lynx, an animal known for its sharp vision, to symbolize their desire to see and understand the world clearly through science.

One of the most famous members was Galileo Galilei, who joined in 1611. Galileo felt so proud to be part of the academy that he used the name "Galileo Galilei Linceo" as his signature. The academy supported Galileo's work and published some of his important writings, like his ideas about sunspots and how to measure things carefully. The academy aimed to explore all areas of natural science through careful observation and experimentation, encouraging members to look deeply into the world around them.

Accademia re-foundation

In 1801, Abbot Feliciano Scarpellini and Gioacchino Pessuti, with the help of Francesco Caetani, started the Accademia Caetani, which later took the name Accademia dei Lincei. This time period, from 1801 to 1840, was called the "Second Renaissance" of the academy. However, the academy faced many challenges and eventually stopped working in the 1840s. Later, in 1847, Pope Pius IX brought the academy back to life, naming it the Pontificia Accademia dei Nuovi Lincei, or the Pontifical Academy of New Lincei.

Reale Accademia dei Lincei

In 1874, Quintino Sella transformed the academy into the Accademia Nazionale Reale dei Lincei, also called the Royal National Lincean Academy. This new version expanded its focus to include many areas of learning such as history, philosophy, and economics. It became very respected again, much like the original Lincean Academy.

Some of the famous people who were members include Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, Louis Pasteur, and Max Planck. The academy also had its first female member, Ersilia Caetani Lovatelli, who was an archaeologist. Another notable member was Celal Şengör, the first and only member from the Middle East.

Accademia d'Italia

see main article Royal Academy of Italy

During the Italian fascist period, the Lincean Academy was replaced by the new Accademia d'Italia, the Italian Academy. This change fully happened by 1939. Later, in 1949, after the fascist regime ended, the Lincean Academy became independent again, thanks to a suggestion by Benedetto Croce. More details about this time and the academy’s work can be found in a book by Cagiano De Azevedo & Gerardi.

Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei

The Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei is a famous Italian science group with 540 members. These members are split into two main groups: one for subjects like math, physics, and natural sciences, and another for subjects like history, language, and social sciences.

In 2001, the natural sciences were organized into five areas, including math, astronomy, physics, geology, and biology. The moral sciences were also divided into seven areas, such as archaeology, history, philosophy, and social sciences.

Prizes

The Accademia dei Lincei gives out special prizes to honor smart researchers and scholars. Some important prizes they give are the Premio Presidente della Repubblica, the Feltrinelli Prize, and the Alfredo di Braccio Award for young Italian scientists studying physics and chemistry. They also have other prizes like the Premio del Ministro per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, Premio Linceo, and Premio Internazionale Cataldo Agostinelli e Angela Gili Agostinelli.