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Several scientific channels on TV, crowded scientific fairs, and many serious scientific board games on the market demonstrate that people is curious about science. However, when asked about the perception of scientific subjects, chemistry in the first place, general public still shows rejection toward “too complicated”, “abstract”, and “far from everyday life” topics. Unarguably, every chemist would not recognize chemistry as neither “abstract” nor “far from everyday life”: actually chemistry, the so-called central science, is all around us. Where is the gap to fill, then? Why are not we able to convert that innate curiosity, which makes people stepping out from their houses to join public engagement activities, into genuine, time-persistent, passion about chemistry? Such questions will be addressed herein, giving practical examples of possible approaches to address the problem. Special emphasis will be given to new learning means, generically referred as “Open Learning” ones, and interactive teaching approaches typical of non-formal environments, such as Science Festivals. Real examples of activities beyond the formal curricula of chemical study, some carried out by us in the framework of the “Diffusione della Cultura Chimica – Società Chimica Italiana ” mission and vision, will be discussed underlining their role in enhancing learning and inspiring confidence and passion toward chemistry., Substantia, Vol 3 No 2 Suppl. 6 (2019)

Light-sensitive liquid crystalline elastomers (LS-LCEs) are optical holographic materials with many intriguing properties. Light-induced modifications of refractive index are several orders of magnitude larger than in conventional light-sensitive elastomers [1-4]. Holographic patterning process is very nonlinear, which allows an intricate control over the 3D spatial structuring. The associated effects are particularly interesting in the temperature region close to the nematic-paranematic phase transition, where phenomena, like recording of hidden holograms and hologram dark-enhancement effect can be observed [5]. LS-LCEs are also very efficient for recording of optical polarization gratings that are fabricated on the basis of the variation of polarization state of the optical field. In the vicinity of the Bragg angle such gratings exhibit an unusual splitting of the diffraction peak [6]. Very interesting behaviour appears also during mechanical stretching of the gratings, particularly along the direction of the soft elasticity, for which a synergetic correlation between the grating structure and the formation of reorientational domains can take place.

Nel corso del tempo la rappresentazione della disabilità nel cinema ha subito una evoluzione che è stata analizzata da diversi studiosi sia in ambito nazionale che internazionale. In accordo con quanto riscontrato nella letteratura scientifica attuale (si pensi alla prospettiva dei Disability Studies, dell'ICF, del Capability Approach), si è assistito ad un progressivo spostamento di focalizzazione dell'attenzione da parte dei cineasti: a) dalla descrizione del deficit alla rappresentazione della persona in quanto tale, con la sua rete di relazioni nei diversi contesti di appartenenza; b) dalla tipizzazione entro categorie ben precise di rappresentazione – sia in relazione al soggetto disabile (l'eroe, l'innocente, la vittima, ecc...) sia in riferimento agli scopi intrinseci sottesi alla trama del film (la denuncia, la valorizzazione, ecc...) – a una concettualizzazione più dinamica e complessa dei temi trattati. Sulla base di questa premessa gli autori presentano, quindi, una lettura complessa del film Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (Julian Shnabel, 2007), che esemplifica in maniera significativa questo nuovo modo di portare sugli schermi il tema della disabilità. National and international experts have analysed the representation of disabilities in movies and its evolution over time. Current scientific literature (i.e. Disabilities Studies, ICF, Capability Approach) shows that filmmakers have gradually changed their focus: a) from the description of the disability to the representation of the disabled person, with his/her network of relationships in the contexts he/she belongs to; b) from the representation of well-defined categories – regarding both the disabled person (a hero, an innocent, a victim, etc…) and the goals underlying the plot (complaint, valorisation, etc…) – to a more dynamic and complex conceptualisation of the topics developed in the movies. Starting from this introduction, the authors engage in a complex reading of the movie Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (Julian Shnabel, 2007), in which this new way of tackling disabilities on the screen is significantly represented.