On October 27, 2023, CREA Amsterdam hosted the Dutch edition of the 2023 Cosmos Book Prize ceremony. Jim Jansen, editor-in-chief of New Scientist NL, set the stage with a warm and engaging welcome. I briefly presented the initiative’s roots, tracing back to its inception in Reggio Calabria, Italy, in 2018. Speaking about the profound impact of scientific culture, I emphasized how popular science can inspire young minds. I also stressed the importance of books and “slow science” for understanding an ever more complex world.
The lively performance of a high-school student band provided the perfect backdrop to the presentations from a line-up of amazing finalists, either in person via video, including Stan Bentvelsen (who also represented Martijn Van Calmthout), Claudine Monteil, 2021 Physics Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi, James Poskett, Govert Schilling, and Margriet van der Heijden.
The NL Cosmos Students’ Prize 2023 went to “Het heiland dat het Higgs heet” by Stan Bentvelsen and Martijn Van Calmthout, a riveting exploration of the Higgs boson’s past and future. Margriet van der Heijden clinched the NL Cosmos Prize 2023 with ‘Ongekend’, a work that celebrates the trailblazing women in science who have left an indelible mark.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the dedicated scientific jury, Ivo van Vulpen (chair), Rosanne Herzberger, Keri Vos, Jan Bouwe, Floris van der Tak. Thank you to all the organisers, including New Scientist Eline Kraaijenvanger, Maureen Voestermans, Jan Pieter van der Schaar, Jim Jansen. Here’s to the students from across the Netherlands who participated in the initiative, to their teachers, to the deserving winners, and to the promise of an even more spectacular 2024 NL Cosmos Prize event. Cheers!