A Journey Between Science and Exploration: From the 80th Parallel to Space

Paola Catapano speaks at ‘Pordenone Pensa’ events in Azzano Decimo, Pordenone and Oderzo. She presents her book 80th Parallel and goes beyond the limits of exploration and ahead the limits of dreams.

Paola Catapano, a key member of the Polarquest team, took center stage at the events of Pordenone Pensa: Science 2024. Through a series of inspiring talks, she shared her extraordinary personal and professional journey, recounting the challenges she faced and the milestones she achieved, showing how pursuing one’s dreams can lead to remarkable accomplishments.
Supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, the Ministry of Culture, and in collaboration with the municipalities of Pordenone, Oderzo, Azzano Decimo, and CICAP, the events were structured across three main venues. 

Azzano Decimo – Teatro Mascherini

Paola Catapano, alongside astronaut Paolo Nespoli, took the audience on an enthralling journey from the mysteries of the infinitesimally small, explored at CERN, to the edges of space and the extreme environments of the Earth’s poles. This event offered a unique opportunity to reflect on the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Oderzo – Teatro Cristallo

In this session aimed at high school students and moderated by engineer Claudio Bortolin (INFN), Paola presented her book, The 80th Parallel, which chronicles the Polarquest2018 expedition. She highlighted the scientific research conducted during the mission, including microplastic sampling in the Arctic, and emphasized the profound impact of human activities on polar ecosystems.

Oderzo – Palazzo Foscolo

During this public event, Paola delved into the findings from the Arctic mission, focusing on the environmental consequences of human actions and advocating for the urgent need to protect our planet.
These events were not just about scientific outreach; they were a call to action—an invitation to chase dreams, push boundaries, and realize extraordinary achievements through determination and curiosity.

Discover the book Ottantesimo Parallelo to experience the adventure up close.