Knowledge And Passion: A Farewell To Eduard Punset

The name Eduard Punset is synonymous with optimism, curiosity and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Few scientists have managed to convey the desire to learn in such a wonderful way. And few have managed to immerse us in fields such as psychology, astronomy and anthropology in the same way he did. Today we say goodbye to Eduard Punset, the man who brought science home.

His charisma, his unmistakable voice and the hair reminiscent of Albert Einstein. His relaxed way of spreading knowledge and igniting the passion for science… Eduard Punset was all this and much more. He was a prominent figure on Spanish television and his television program Redes set a new standard for science journalism. He passed away at the age of 82.

An unsuspecting scientist?

He may have appeared as an unsuspecting and distracted scientist, but in fact had a professional background in politics and law. Despite his eccentric appearance, Punset knew very well what it was he wanted to bring out in his programs, which were shown every Sunday morning for almost 18 years.

By presenting and editing Redes, he achieved something that only personalities that Carl Sagan had managed before him. Namely, to arouse the interest in science among thousands of TV viewers.

With interviews like the ones he did with Roger Penrose and Max Tegmark, everyone wanted to become physicists and cosmologists and gain a greater understanding of the universe’s deepest origins. The conversations he had with Jane Goodal, Lawrence Krauss, Antonio Damasio and Steven Piner made us better suited to understand:

• the many ideas and theories surrounding our origins
• what emotions really are
• what future awaits us

Physics, biology, psychology, neuroscience, cosmology… Eduard Punset invited us on a journey full of knowledge and exciting discoveries. He inspired us with his enthusiasm, his curiosity and his unstoppable optimism. He enchanted his audience. This is also the reason why it is difficult to say goodbye. He has inspired hundreds of people to find their calling in life. Fortunately, one has left behind a rich audiovisual heritage and several releases.

A farewell to Eduard Punset: The politician who opened the door to science

There have always been those who have viewed with skepticism the way Eduard Punset has been treated as one who has popularized science. He comes from a world of law and has a university degree in economics from the University of London. In addition, he has a long career as a politician behind him. He started his career in the Social Democratic Party of Adolfo Suaréz and was a Member of the European Parliament from 1987-1994.

It was his ability to speak to the masses and really communicate that made Spanish television make the request that he would not present a science program on television. And truth be told, Punset had no academic titles or experience in many of the areas he dealt with each week.

But, he had something even better: charisma, scientific intuition and an ability to convey knowledge in an easy-to-understand way. And on top of that , he conveyed everything with an infectious passion.

Knowledge available to all: Redes

In the USA they had Carl Sagan and his program Cosmos in the 80’s , while in Spain they had Eduard Punset and his Redes . It did not matter that the program was broadcast early in the morning. Each week, thousands of faithful viewers sat in front of the television screen. People who knew nothing about neuroscience, astronomy or biology suddenly became passionate about these topics.

The program began airing in March 1996. In 2008, they made a small change to the program that would make history. Redes changed its name to Redes 2.0 and every week Eduard Punset interviewed an internationally renowned specialist. Suddenly, the scientific world got a new and friendlier face.

Those who had to get up early to go to work were careful to always take up the program. One thing is for sure and that is that everyone learned something new every week. He introduced viewers to characters such as Oliver Sacks, James Watson, Francis Crick, Steven Pinker, Robin Dunbar, Lawrence Krauss, Roger Penrose, Jane Goodall, Antonio Damasio, Daniel Dennett and Lynn Margulis.

With his unforgettable voice and charisma, he himself was responsible for dubbing the English interviews into Spanish. And he slowly but surely got used to these new ideas, theories and scientific perspectives almost without being aware of it himself.

Knowledge in book form

At the same time as he presented Redes, Eduard Punset embarked on a new project that would prove to be just as successful: publishing books. He has published books such as Trip to Happiness (2005), The Soul is in the Brain (2006) and Why We Are What We Are (2008). This was the beginning of an era in which access to basic scientific knowledge is no longer out of reach. Getting lost in these books was both a pleasure and a stimulating and educational journey of discovery.

In the books one could no longer hear his special voice, but one could still not fail to recognize the distinctive style of this presenter who made the complex easy. By offering both theories and information, he made science and scientific research something everyone wants to know more about.

His most recent books, such as Journey to Love (2007) , The Journey to the Power of the Mind (2010) and Alice’s Dream (2013) addressed a theme that Eduard Punset loved: self-help.

Redes disappeared from the TV screen in January 2014. After that, Punset moved slowly away from the field of science and instead approached areas such as personal growth and self-help.

A farewell to Eduard Punset

Increasing health problems meant that Punset in recent years slowly but surely withdrew from the media circus. Now that he has left us, it is as if the scientific world has become orphaned. The world needs scientists, but they also need personalities who know how to convey the magical element of knowledge.

Eduard Punset’s star shone brightly, with the same passion as a child who wants to know everything. And even if we now have to say goodbye to Eduard Punset, his audiovisual and literary heritage will remain.