Denis Savoie

Biography

Denis Savoie is a science historian at Universcience (Palais de la découverte, Cité des sciences et de l’industrie), where he was formerly Scientific Director. A research associate at Observatoire de Paris (Laboratoire national de métrologie et d’essais – Système de références Temps-Espace – LNE-SYRTE), he has produced and calculated numerous sundials around the world. Author of reference books and articles on gnomonics, he was awarded the Paul Doistau – Émile Blutet prize for scientific information (2017). He is a full member of the International Academy of the History of Science.

Conference: Is the time of gnomons back?

First used by the Babylonians in 2000 BC, the gnomon has undergone many variations over the centuries, first becoming a sundial, then a meridian in cathedrals or a yardstick for setting clocks. Apollo astronauts used them on the Moon, and recently on Mars with the Insight mission. What has made this instrument such an incredible success over the past 4000 years?