Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine
“There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.”
~Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J. K. Rowling
Join us for an interactive presentation exploring Harry Potter's world and its roots in Renaissance alchemy and medicine with:
Joel A. Klein, Ph.D.
Department of History, Columbia University
Research Fellow, Chemical Heritage Foundation
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library
701 W. 168th Street
Refreshments will be provided. Costumes encouraged!
In 1997, British author J. K. Rowling introduced the world to Harry Potter and a literary phenomenon was born. Millions of readers have followed Harry to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he discovers his heritage, encounters new plants and animals, and perfects his magical abilities.
Although a fantasy story, the magic in the Harry Potter books is partially based on Renaissance traditions that played an important role in the development of Western science, including alchemy, astrology, and natural philosophy. Incorporating the work of several 15th- and 16th-century thinkers, Rowling's seven-part series examines important ethical topics such as the desire for knowledge, the effects of prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with power.
This exhibition is brought to you by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Curated by Elizabeth J. Bland.