Press Release

International Year of Light, 2015

The International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies (IYL 2015) is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health. The goal of IYL 2015 is to highlight to the citizens of the world the importance of light and optical technologies in their lives, for their futures and for the development of society.

2015 is also the anniversary of some important milestones in the history of science. It includes the publication of Ibn Al-Haytham's "Book of Optics" in 1015, the notion of light as a wave proposed by Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1815, the electromagnetic theory of light propagation proposed by James Clerk Maxwell in 1865, Einstein's theory of the photoelectric effect in 1905 and of the embedding of light in cosmology through general relativity in 1915, the discovery of cosmic microwave background by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, and Charles Kao's achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication in 1965. The IYL 2015 is not only a tribute to the science pioneers, but also highlights the contribution of the development of optics and optoelectronic technology to the sustainable development of human in future. It also encourages and inspires more young people to join the field of optical science and technology.

In response to the IYL 2015, Communications Museum has selected some items related to light and optics from the normal school booking program for different level of students, including science demonstrations "Optical Fibers", "Laser" and "Light and Colours" that won the ASPAC's Creative Science Communication Award in 2013, workshops "Optical Fibers DIY", "Simple Periscope", "Simples Telescope", "Bling Bling Kaleidoscope" and "Pinhole Camera", electronic circuit courses "Photosensitive Mechanical Beetle", "Application of Infrared Communication Technology" and "Heartbeat Sensor", Science College's "Revolution of Optical Fibers", "The Invention of LED" and "Story of the Light". All schools are welcomed to book our service during the whole year.

A number of special items for the public will be announced at the museum's website, including a new interactive exhibit "Optical Phone", "LED festival" workshops of different topics organized at different festival during the whole year, the first family workshop "Easter Collection" to be launched on March 28, and a special workshop "Pinhole Camera" in cooperation with the Maritime Museum to be organized in the middle of the year. In addition, the museum will invite the Macau Society of Biomedical Engineering to organize the "SciTech Talk - Optogenetics" for secondary students and teachers to introduce the latest development and application of optical technology. All schools are welcomed to book the special seminar.