The VI edition of the Asimov Prize saw the participation of 10 thousand students from 200 Italian high schools. ISASI participated in the evaluation of the reviews with its researchers.
On May 31, 2021, the winning book was announced. This is “The Last Horizon. What do we know of the universe”, a popular science essay by the astrophysicist Amedeo Balbi who qualifies for clarity and honesty of purpose. The author examines the state of the art of cosmology, presenting the knowledge taken for granted and the objectives that will be investigated in the near future. He then goes on to discuss some more ambitious scientific goals, on which more light can be cast, concluding with those that constitute precisely the last horizon of knowledge.
The Award counts on the patronage and collaboration of more than 40 institutions, including the Italian Physical Society (SIF), the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and the Italian Booksellers Association. It is structured in 16 regional coordinations, which put the schools in the area in contact with scientific institutions.
The 10,000 students chose, read and reviewed a book. The reviews of the jurors are, in turn, evaluated anonymously by at least three members of the scientific commission. There are just under a thousand people: high school teachers, researchers, doctoral students, university professors, journalists and friends of culture in general. Jurors who stand out as authors of the best reviews are recognized and invited to speak at a variety of events.