European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vatican Villa Home to Pope s scientific brain Trust by Mercer Cross National geographic its roots in Romo Date Back nearly 400 years when it was the Academy of Lynnes named for the animal that symbolized intellectual farsightedness. Today s pontifical Academy of sciences is an 80-member International group of distinguished astronomers chemists physicists mathematicians and others from 35 countries. Twenty three Are Nobel laureates. Pondering some of the most far reaching scientific issues the Academy serves in effect As a think tank for the Pope. It meets several times a year amid the Renaissance splendor of Casino Pio in a frescoes and Fountaine 16th-Century Villa in the Center of the Vatican gardens. One of the earliest and most famous members was the italian astronomer Galileo father of modern science. His Radical views of the universe earned him excommunication from the roman Catholic Church in the 17th Century not until a few years ago during the papacy of John Paul ii wore Steps taken to exonerate him. The Pope s interest in science has stimulated the Academy. But the work that now goes on inside the ornate rooms of Casino Pio in remains unknown to All but a handful of people most of them within the scientific Community. Quot the Academy is not interlaced into the Vatican Hierarchy. It is completely Independent and reports directly to the Pope Quot says biochemist Maxine f. Singer president of the Carnegie institution of Washington and an Academy member since 1986. Between the Academy s biennial plenary sessions smaller groups of members meet on such controversial subjects As resources and population tropical rain forests and the conservation of species brain death future trends in spectroscopy and genetic engineering. Results of the proceedings Are published before they Are summaries Are presented to the Pope who then responds. Customarily he meets with participants after the sessions. Quot to a very Large extent what the Academy does is inform the Pope about scientific matters and in the course of doing that provide the Opportunity for interesting scientific meetings Quot says Singer. Quot so it s kind of a twofold thing. It also honors  sometimes the Academy takes Strong positions that have an Impact worldwide. Victor f. Weisskopf emeritus professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of. Technology and a member since 1975, says he considers the Academy s Lead in opposing both the arms race and the destruction of rain forests to be its two most important stands in recent years. In 1978, the year he became Pope John Paul ii asked Weisskopf to organize an Academy memorial nation of Albert Einstein s birth in 1879. Einstein was jewish As is Weisskopf who says he was moved that such an Observance was held at the Vatican. The scientific Academy took its present shape in 1936, during the papacy of Pius i and began seriously expanding its influence in 1972 under the presidency of Carlos chagas a brazilian biophysicist. He was succeeded As president in 1988 by Giovanni b. Marini Bettolo an italian chemist. Singer concurs with Many others that chagas presidency Quot really changed the Academy opened it up and made it i think a significant  with others she is concerned that the present administration May not be As Active As the previous one. Quot like Many such academies one drawback is that the average age is extraordinarily High Quot says Singer a relatively Young 59. President Marini Bettolo is 76. Members Are appointed for life. Pope John Paul m s interest in science was expressed in a 1988 message about the relationship Between religion and science a fractious Issue for today s scientists  has been a definite though still fragile and provisional movement toward a new and More nuanced interchange. It is crucial that this common search based on critical openness and interchange should not Only continue but also grow and deepen in its Quality and  the Pope has spoken against Christian fundamentalists literal interpretation of the Bible. Weisskopf paraphrases Quot one should interpret the scriptures Only in a symbolic Way of the culture of the  Singer who is one of Only four women in the Academy says she pays attention to Quot the absence of women from policy making roles within the Vatican. I be made it a Point to speak about that in connection with policies on human  the existence of the Academy is important Singer says. Quot there have been for example several very forthright discussions about birth control. And the Academy is probably one of the few places in the Vatican where discussions go on on a completely open basis. I have never Felt in any Way that there was anything i could t say Quot National geographic members of the pontifical Academy of sciences take a break in the courtyard of the ornate Casino Pio in Villa in Vatican City. Stripes Magazine february 6, 7 992 a