Premiere of the documentary ‘El tragaluz cuánticot’ at the European Researchers' Night at CaixaForum València
The documentary El tragaluz cuántico, promoted by the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat de València (UV), will premiere at CaixaForum València during the European Researchers' Night on Friday, September 26, at 8:30 p.m.
Conceived as a window between the macrocosm and the microcosm through the metaphor of the photomultiplier tube, El tragaluz cuántico proposes a visual and educational journey that connects particle physics with fundamental questions about the universe and the role of science in our society.
El tragaluz cuántico is a medium-length 4K documentary focused on research surrounding the photomultiplier tube. This device can be likened to a window through which, depending on the direction of observation, one can glimpse either the macrocosm or the microscopic world. Its "magical" nature grants it the potential to attract the general public through its description.
The 40-minute film begins by exploring how the universe came into being, the origin and history of light, and the importance of science in society. The second part describes how the quantum skylight—a widely used light detector—works, and it provides an educational introduction to quantum physics. The third part explores the applications of this detector in society, including its use as a telescope to detect distant cosmic sources, as well as its role in medicine for both cancer diagnosis and treatment through proton therapy.
The project is coordinated by Jaime Riera, professor at the Universitat Politècnica de València, and Fernando Hueso, CSIC researcher at IFIC, together with a large team of scientists from both IFIC and UPV. It is also co-financed by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. The project has also been co-financed through the research program Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa (CEX2023-001292-S funded by MCIU/AEI).
With the collaboration of José María Yturralde
Among the project’s collaborations, the contribution of Valencian artist José María Yturralde stands out: he designed the documentary’s poster and also provided several of his paintings for filming. Other experts featured in the documentary include Professor Gabriela Barenboim and José Bernabéu, both researchers at IFIC; Amanda Carreño, from the Department of Applied Mathematics at UPV; and Andrea González-Montoro, from the I3M Institute (CSIC-UPV).
Premiere with the directors
Its presentation as part of the European Researchers' Night held at CaixaForum València (#ERN2025) will allow the Valencian public to enjoy the first public screening of the documentary and engage in dialogue with its creators in a space dedicated to science outreach.
Admission will be free until full capacity is reached.
More information:
https://caixaforum.org/es/valencia/p/la-noche-de-la-investigacion_a17369...
