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L'asso nella manica a brandelli

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En este intenso libro, la neurobióloga Rita Levi Montalcini, premio Nobel de Medicina en 1986, desdena las reflexiones consolatorias o lugubres sobre la vejez, para explicarnos que el cerebro es el prodigioso « as en la manga que debemos aprender a jugar con acierto en la senectud, porque puede seguir funcionando perfectamente incluso a una edad muy avanzada, ya que si bien es cierto que se pierden algunas capacidades, estas son sustituidas por otras que las compensan e incluso las superan.

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

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About the author

Rita Levi-Montalcini

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Rita Levi-Montalcini (Italian pronunciation: [ˈrita ˈlɛvi montalˈtʃini]; 22 April 1909 – 30 December 2012) was an Italian neurologist who, together with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nerve growth factor (NGF). Also, from 2001, until her death, she served in the Italian Senate as a Senator for Life.

Rita Levi-Montalcini had been the oldest living Nobel laureate and the first ever to reach a 100th birthday. On 22 April 2009, she was feted with a 100th birthday party at Rome's city hall.

Born on 22 April 1909 at Turin to a wealthy Italian family, she and her twin sister Paola were the youngest of four children. Her parents were Adamo Levi, an electrical engineer and mathematician, and Adele Montalcini, a painter.

In her teenage years, she considered becoming a writer and admired Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf. Adamo discouraged his children from attending college as he feared it would disrupt their lives as wives and mothers but he eventually supported Levi-Montalcini's aspirations to become a doctor anyway. Levi-Montalcini decided to attend University of Turin Medical School after seeing a close family friend die of stomach cancer. While attending, she was taught by neurohistologist Giuseppe Levi who introduced her to the developing nervous system.

Rita Levi-Montalcini died in her home in Rome on 30 December 2012 at the age of 103.

Upon her death, the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, stated it was a great loss "for all of humanity." He praised her as someone who represented "civic conscience, culture and the spirit of research of our time." Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack told Sky TG24 TV in a tribute to her fellow scientist, "She is really someone to be admired." Italy's premier, Mario Monti, paid tribute to Levi-Montalcini's "charismatic and tenacious" character and for her lifelong endeavor to "defend the battles in which she believed."

In 1968, she became the tenth woman elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences.

In 1983, she was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.

In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and collaborator Stanley Cohen received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, as well as the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.

In 1987, she received the National Medal of Science, the highest American scientific honor.

In 1991, she received the Laurea Honoris Causa in Medicine from the University of Trieste, Italy. On that occasion, she expressed her desire to formulate a Carta of Human Duties as necessary counterpart of the too much neglected Declaration of Human Rights. The vision of Rita Levi-Montalcini came true with the issuing of the Trieste Declaration of Human Duties and the foundation in 1993 of the International Council of Human Duties, ICHD, at the University of Trieste.

In 1999, Levi-Montalcini was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf.

In 2001, she was nominated Senator-for-life by the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

In 2006, Levi-Montalcini received the degree Honoris Causa in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin, in her native city.

In 2008, she received the PhD Honoris Causa from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.

She was a founding member of Città della Scienza.

On her religious views, Rita was born into a Jewish family and later become a professed atheist.

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Chiara Cercandounavia.
36 reviews
December 12, 2019
Ho apprezzato molto la prima parte incentrata sulla neurobiologia. L'ultima parte focalizzata sugli esempi di personaggi attivo anche nella senilità l'ho trovata pesante e noiosa. Tuttavia consiglio questa lettura breve ma che invita bene a riflettere.
Profile Image for Signor Amleto.
60 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2020
Un copia e incolla di alcune evoluzioni e ricerche sul cervello e della vita di cinque grandi maestri della storia.
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