ICOMOS-UK World Heritage and Science 7 May 2009, London, UK What are the key scientific ideas we should be capturing? Alec Boksenberg

. “ The history of the development of science and its application through technology is as important as any other part of our heritage to an understanding of the nature of modern human existence.”

“ The history of the development of science

and its application through technology is as

important as any other part of our heritage

to an understanding of the nature of modern

human existence.”

. . “ Science , as the only truly universal culture , should be more fully recognised as part of our collective heritage . ” Lord Rees of Ludlow OM Kt PRS President of The Royal Society

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Presentation Addressing the challenge to recognise better the achievements of science and technology as represented on the World Heritage List Issues and opportunities for inscription of outstanding sites for heritage particularly of the natural sciences and the development of their application through engineering and technology

Addressing the challenge to recognise better the achievements of science and technology as represented on the World Heritage List

Issues and opportunities for inscription of outstanding sites for heritage particularly of the natural sciences and the development of their application through engineering and technology

World Heritage Sites in the UK Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd Durham Castle and Cathedral Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast Ironbridge Gorge St Kilda Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey Blenheim Palace City of Bath Frontiers of the Roman Empire Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church Henderson Island

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd

Durham Castle and Cathedral

Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast

Ironbridge Gorge

St Kilda

Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites

Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey

Blenheim Palace

City of Bath

Frontiers of the Roman Empire

Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church

Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church

Henderson Island

Cont. Tower of London Gough and Inaccessible Islands Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Maritime Greenwich Heart of Neolithic Orkney Blaenavon Industrial Landscape Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda Derwent Valley Mills Dorset and East Devon Coast New Lanark Saltaire Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

Tower of London

Gough and Inaccessible Islands

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

Maritime Greenwich

Heart of Neolithic Orkney

Blaenavon Industrial Landscape

Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda

Derwent Valley Mills

Dorset and East Devon Coast

New Lanark

Saltaire

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City

Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

UK Tentative List Chatham Naval Dockyard (21/06/1999) Darwin's Home and Workplace: Down House and Environs (21/06/1999) Fountain Cavern, Anguilla (21/06/1999) Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Antonine Wall (19/01/2006) Gibraltar defences (03/01/1996) Lake District (03/01/1996) Manchester and Salford (Ancoats, Castlefield and Worsley) (21/06/1999) Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Monastic Sites (21/06/1999) Mount Stewart Gardens (21/06/1999) Pont-Cysyllte Aqueduct (21/06/1999) Shakespeare's Stratford (21/06/1999) The Cairngorm Mountains (21/06/1999) The Flow Country (21/06/1999) The Forth Rail Bridge (21/06/1999) The Great Western Railway: Paddington-Bristol (selected parts) (21/06/1999) The New Forest (21/06/1999) The Wash and North Norfolk Coast (21/06/1999)

Chatham Naval Dockyard (21/06/1999)

Darwin's Home and Workplace: Down House and Environs (21/06/1999)

Fountain Cavern, Anguilla (21/06/1999)

Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Antonine Wall (19/01/2006)

Gibraltar defences (03/01/1996)

Lake District (03/01/1996)

Manchester and Salford (Ancoats, Castlefield and Worsley) (21/06/1999)

Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Monastic Sites (21/06/1999)

Mount Stewart Gardens (21/06/1999)

Pont-Cysyllte Aqueduct (21/06/1999)

Shakespeare's Stratford (21/06/1999)

The Cairngorm Mountains (21/06/1999)

The Flow Country (21/06/1999)

The Forth Rail Bridge (21/06/1999)

The Great Western Railway: Paddington-Bristol (selected parts) (21/06/1999)

The New Forest (21/06/1999)

The Wash and North Norfolk Coast (21/06/1999)

World Heritage Convention Identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit to future generations outstanding places of cultural and natural heritage of value to all humanity Heritage value must be rooted in physical surviving features Properties must have Outstanding Universal Value Authenticity Integrity

Identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit to future generations outstanding places of cultural and natural heritage of value to all humanity

Heritage value must be rooted in physical surviving features

Properties must have

Outstanding Universal Value

Authenticity

Integrity

Physical Sciences Industrialisation Physics Chemistry

Industrialisation

Biological Sciences Agriculture Conservation Medicine

Agriculture

Conservation

World Heritage List: Engineering & Technology Mining Transport Irrigation Timekeeping Communication Power

Mining

Transport

Irrigation

Timekeeping

Communication

Power

World Heritage List: Science Struve Geodetic Arc 34 survey station points for the measurement of the exact size and shape of the earth carried out 1816 -1855 by astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve. The original arc consisted of 258 main triangles with 265 main station points stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820 km . Belarus Estonia Finland Latvia Lithuania Norway Rep. of Moldova Russian Fed. Sweden Ukraine

Struve Geodetic Arc

34 survey station points for the measurement of the exact size and shape of the earth carried out 1816 -1855 by astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.

The original arc consisted of 258 main triangles with 265 main station points stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820 km .

Science NOT on the World Heritage List Einstein in the Swiss Patent Office Within just a few months in 1905, having worked in his spare time, he published a series of extraordinary papers containing theories which revolutionised man’s scientific understanding and serve as the foundation for modern physics .

Einstein in the

Swiss Patent Office

Within just a few months in 1905, having worked in his spare time, he published a series of extraordinary papers containing theories which revolutionised man’s scientific understanding and serve as the foundation for modern physics .

Limited Representation of Science Heritage World Heritage List from inception is almost entirely based on “monumental” concept of cultural heritage Much of science is about ideas and texts rarely linked with places of relevant surviving features Treatment is difficult of such sites as do survive if poor quality, altered, or continuing or evolving use Lack of awareness of potential at national level – many sites with science attribute not recognised Little guidance for States Parties from Advisory Bodies on how science can be recognised

World Heritage List from inception is almost entirely based on “monumental” concept of cultural heritage

Much of science is about ideas and texts rarely linked with places of relevant surviving features

Treatment is difficult of such sites as do survive if poor quality, altered, or continuing or evolving use

Lack of awareness of potential at national level – many sites with science attribute not recognised

Little guidance for States Parties from Advisory Bodies on how science can be recognised

Interpretation of Outstanding Universal Value Defined in the Operational Guidelines as “ cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity ” The application of the Convention is guided by the definitions of cultural and natural heritage in Articles 1 and 2 and ten criteria in the Operational Guidelines These give clear scope for including science heritage Past decisions on inscriptions shape future guidance on the practical interpretation of application to cases

Defined in the Operational Guidelines as “ cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity ”

The application of the Convention is guided by the definitions of cultural and natural heritage in Articles 1 and 2 and ten criteria in the Operational Guidelines

These give clear scope for including science heritage

Past decisions on inscriptions shape future guidance on the practical interpretation of application to cases

Interpretation of Outstanding Universal Value Simple association of a property with an important individual is not sufficient grounds Increasing recognition of intangible values Global Strategy introduced a more contextually understanding approach with wider thematic areas Questions and challenges definition of ‘science’ and ‘technology’ starting approaches intangibility

Simple association of a property with an important individual is not sufficient grounds

Increasing recognition of intangible values

Global Strategy introduced a more contextually understanding approach with wider thematic areas

Questions and challenges

definition of ‘science’ and ‘technology’

starting approaches

intangibility

Heritage of Science Examples of ideas or discoveries universally recognised as important or as having influenced the evolution of mankind as a whole at one time or other: Establishment of the place of Earth in the Universe Discovery of universal gravity Discovery of geological evolution Theory and evidence of evolution of the Universe Theory and evidence of biological evolution Development of quantum theory Special (1905) and General (1915) Relativity theories

Examples of ideas or discoveries universally recognised as important or as having influenced the evolution of mankind as a whole at one time or other:

Establishment of the place of Earth in the Universe

Discovery of universal gravity

Discovery of geological evolution

Theory and evidence of evolution of the Universe

Theory and evidence of biological evolution

Development of quantum theory

Special (1905) and General (1915) Relativity theories

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Possible Categories of Science Heritage Places where observations, experiments and other scientific studies have been carried out and physical evidence of the activity survives in form of structures Observatories Laboratories Apparatus

Places where observations, experiments and other scientific studies have been carried out and physical evidence of the activity survives in form of structures

Observatories

Laboratories

Apparatus

Possible Categories of Science Heritage Places where observations, experiments and other scientific studies have been carried out and physical evidence of the activity survives in form of structures Observatories Laboratories Apparatus

Places where observations, experiments and other scientific studies have been carried out and physical evidence of the activity survives in form of structures

Observatories

Laboratories

Apparatus

Possible Categories of Science Heritage Places where scientific work and exchanges of information were carried out but difficult to tie a specific surviving feature to a specific discovery Universities Institutes

Places where scientific work and exchanges of information were carried out but difficult to tie a specific surviving feature to a specific discovery

Universities

Institutes

Possible Categories of Science Heritage Landscapes in which scientific observations or collections were made but no specific surviving features reflecting scientists’ action Cultural landscapes - representing the “ combined works of nature and of man ” (Annex 3) Category of associative cultural landscapes Example: Dorset and East Devon Coast (study of geological history)

Landscapes in which scientific observations or collections were made but no specific surviving features reflecting scientists’ action

Cultural landscapes - representing the “ combined works of nature and of man ” (Annex 3)

Category of associative cultural landscapes

Example: Dorset and East Devon Coast

(study of geological history)

Natural sites in the World Heritage Convention ‘ natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty’ ‘ be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of land forms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features ;

‘ natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of

outstanding universal value from the point of view of

science, conservation or natural beauty’

‘ be outstanding examples representing major

stages of earth’s history, including the record of

life, significant on-going geological processes in

the development of land forms, or significant

geomorphic or physiographic features ;

.

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Galápagos Islands Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.

Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.

Thematic Studies ICOMOS Rock Art of Sahara and North Africa Rock Art of Central Asia Potential Fossil Hominid Sites Cultural Landscapes of the Pacific Islands Agro-pastoral Cultural Landscapes Irrigation and Water Management Systems Heritage of Astronomy ( associated with the UNESCO thematic initiative “Astronomy and World Heritage”) Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Arctic Region IUCN (Global) Volcanoes and Volcanic Landscapes Caves and Karst Deserts and Desert Landscapes

ICOMOS

Rock Art of Sahara and North Africa

Rock Art of Central Asia

Potential Fossil Hominid Sites

Cultural Landscapes of the Pacific Islands

Agro-pastoral Cultural Landscapes

Irrigation and Water Management Systems

Heritage of Astronomy ( associated with the UNESCO thematic initiative “Astronomy and World Heritage”)

Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Arctic Region

IUCN (Global)

Volcanoes and Volcanic Landscapes

Caves and Karst

Deserts and Desert Landscapes

WORLD HERITAGE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AN EXPERT WORKSHOP WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR A BALANCED AND REPRESENTATIVE WORLD HERITAGE LIST Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 January 2008 Wellcome Collection Conference Centre, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK Co-hosted by The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and The UK National Commission for UNESCO

AN EXPERT WORKSHOP WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR A BALANCED AND REPRESENTATIVE WORLD HERITAGE LIST

Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 January 2008

Wellcome Collection Conference Centre, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK

Co-hosted by

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport

and

The UK National Commission for UNESCO

Questions What are the conditions that allow recognition of heritage of science on the World Heritage List? What lessons can be learnt from experience so far? What priority should the World Heritage Committee give to heritage of science? What should be done at the international level to improve understanding of the heritage of science and World Heritage? What can or should States Parties be doing to improve the representation of heritage of science on the World Heritage List?

What are the conditions that allow recognition of heritage of science on the World Heritage List?

What lessons can be learnt from experience so far?

What priority should the World Heritage Committee give to heritage of science?

What should be done at the international level to improve understanding of the heritage of science and World Heritage?

What can or should States Parties be doing to improve the representation of heritage of science on the World Heritage List?

Objectives Attended by 45 experts from different regions of the world, including the Chairperson of the WHC, the Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences of UNESCO and representatives of all three Advisory Bodies (IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM) Assess and examine the interpretation of scientific and technological heritage in the context of the World Heritage Convention with particular focus on four scientific areas Identify opportunities to celebrate places of Outstanding Universal Value because of their significance for science and technology or as a landmark of scientific achievement by inclusion in the World Heritage List

Attended by 45 experts from different regions of the world, including the Chairperson of the WHC, the Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences of UNESCO and representatives of all three Advisory Bodies (IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM)

Assess and examine the interpretation of scientific and technological heritage in the context of the World Heritage Convention with particular focus on four scientific areas

Identify opportunities to celebrate places of Outstanding Universal Value because of their significance for science and technology or as a landmark of scientific achievement by inclusion in the World Heritage List

Cont. Develop corresponding guiding principles for consideration by the World Heritage Committee (July 2008) for the nomination and evaluation of representative sites Recommend a framework for Advisory Bodies working with the World Heritage centre to implement future thematic studies in this area Recommend to the World Heritage Committee (32 nd session, July 2008, Quebec, Canada) potential additions to Annex 3 of the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Convention to take into account the outcomes of the meeting

Develop corresponding guiding principles for consideration by the World Heritage Committee (July 2008) for the nomination and evaluation of representative sites

Recommend a framework for Advisory Bodies working with the World Heritage centre to implement future thematic studies in this area

Recommend to the World Heritage Committee (32 nd session, July 2008, Quebec, Canada) potential additions to Annex 3 of the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Convention to take into account the outcomes of the meeting

Recognition of Heritage of Science and Technology The expert workshop’s recommendations: Filling the gaps associated with scientific and technical heritage be given priority status There is need for a thematic international framework study of science and technical heritage. This study should identify both the gaps in the World Heritage List and what other areas of scientific and technological heritage would benefit from further, specific, thematic studies.

The expert workshop’s recommendations:

Filling the gaps associated with scientific and technical heritage be given priority status

There is need for a thematic international framework study of science and technical heritage.

This study should identify both the gaps in the World Heritage List and what other areas of scientific and technological heritage would benefit from further, specific, thematic studies.

. Astronomy Thematic study: Astronomy and World Heritage Astronomy is foundation of science Its study incorporates all physical sciences Explaining the sky inspired Newton and Einstein Attracts popular interest - everyone “owns” the sky

Thematic study: Astronomy and World Heritage

Astronomy is foundation of science

Its study incorporates all physical sciences

Explaining the sky inspired Newton and Einstein

Attracts popular interest - everyone “owns” the sky

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Brief Timeline of Cosmology 2nd century AD - Ptolemy proposes an Earth-centred Universe, with the Sun and planets revolving around the Earth 1543 - Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his heliocentric Universe in his De revolutionibus orbium coelestium 1687 - Isaac Newton's laws describe large-scale motion throughout the Universe 1905,1915 - Albert Einstein publishes the Special Theory of Relativity - that space and time are not separate continua - and the General Theory of Relativity - that an energy density warps spacetime 1929 - Edwin Hubble demonstrates the linear redshift-distance relation and thus the expansion of the universe 1933 - Edward Milne formalises the cosmological principle 1948 - Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle propose steady state cosmologies based on the perfect cosmological principle

2nd century AD - Ptolemy proposes an Earth-centred Universe, with the Sun and planets revolving around the Earth

1543 - Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his heliocentric Universe in his De revolutionibus orbium coelestium

1687 - Isaac Newton's laws describe large-scale motion throughout the Universe

1905,1915 - Albert Einstein publishes the Special Theory of Relativity - that space and time are not separate continua - and the General Theory of Relativity - that an energy density warps spacetime

1929 - Edwin Hubble demonstrates the linear redshift-distance relation and thus the expansion of the universe

1933 - Edward Milne formalises the cosmological principle

1948 - Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle propose steady state cosmologies based on the perfect cosmological principle

Cont. 1965 - Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, at Bell Labs, discover the 2.7 K microwave background radiation , interpreted as relic from the Big Bang 1974 - Robert Wagoner, William Fowler, and Fred Hoyle show that the hot Big Bang predicts correct deuterium and lithium abundances 1981 - Alan Guth proposes the inflationary Big Bang Universe as a solution to the horizon and flatness problems 1998 - Adam Riess, Saul Perlmutter and others discover the cosmic acceleration in observations of Type 1a supernovae, providing the first evidence for a non-zero cosmological constant – “dark energy” 2003 - NASA's WMAP obtains full-sky detailed pictures of the cosmic microwave background radiation, validating the Lambda-CDM model and the inflationary theory, and 13.7 billion years (within one percent) for the age of the Universe

1965 - Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, at Bell Labs, discover the 2.7 K microwave background radiation , interpreted as relic from the Big Bang

1974 - Robert Wagoner, William Fowler, and Fred Hoyle show that the hot Big Bang predicts correct deuterium and lithium abundances

1981 - Alan Guth proposes the inflationary Big Bang Universe as a solution to the horizon and flatness problems

1998 - Adam Riess, Saul Perlmutter and others discover the cosmic acceleration in observations of Type 1a supernovae, providing the first evidence for a non-zero cosmological constant – “dark energy”

2003 - NASA's WMAP obtains full-sky detailed pictures of the cosmic microwave background radiation, validating the Lambda-CDM model and the inflationary theory, and 13.7 billion years (within one percent) for the age of the Universe

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