Piero Angela, beloved Italian science communicator, dies at 93

Piero Angela, the renowned Italian science communicator, journalist, and television host, died at age 93 on August 13, 2022. His son Alberto Angela announced the news on Facebook with the words 'Buon viaggio papà.' Born in Turin in 1928, Angela began his journalism career in the 1950s at Rai, first as a radio reporter and later as a television news correspondent from Paris and Brussels. In 1976 he became the first anchor of TG2. From 1968 he produced scientific documentaries, coinciding with the first Moon landing. In 1981 he launched 'Quark,' Italy's most famous science program, later renamed 'Super Quark,' known for its authoritative yet accessible content covering astronomy, technology, medicine, natural sciences, art, and culture. Angela was also a jazz pianist and author of numerous books, including 'Il mio lungo viaggio' (2017). He was honored as Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana in 2004 and Cavaliere di Gran Croce in 2021. Culture Minister Dario Franceschini praised him as a 'great Italian' who enabled generations to approach science. Angela's father, Carlo Angela, was a psychiatrist and anti-fascist recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.