Leonardo Torres Quevedo, universal engineer. The most prodigious inventor of his time

On 24th October, the ‘Leonardo Torres Quevedo, universal engineer. The most prodigious inventor of his time’ talk will be held at the UPV/EHU Bizkaia Aretoa (Abandoibarra 3, Bilbao). This conference by the professor at the Complutense University in Madrid, Francisco A. González Redondo, will be the opening ceremony of an exhibition on the Basque engineer which will be on display at the same centre from 24th October to 6th November.

In 1930, Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1852-1939) was named the most prodigious inventor of his time and takes an important place in the universal history of science and technology. Among his inventions, the first remote control or telekino (1902) can be highlighted, capable of controlling a dirigible; the Mount Ulía cable car in San Sebastian (1907), considered to be the world’s first passenger cable car; or the electromechanical arithmometer (1920), a predecessor to computers which was several decades ahead of the 20th century IT pioneers.

An expert in the illustrious inventor, Francisco A. González Redondo has written a biography on Leonardo Torres Quevedo and numerous articles, as well as organising conferences and exhibitions on the famous engineer.

González Redondo’s talk will provide a broader vision of the exhibition and will serve to raise awareness of the work of the engineer and mathematician.

The talk will be in Spanish on 24th October at 7pm in the Sala Baroja at the UPV/EHU Bizkaia Aretoa (2nd Floor). Free entry subject to available seating.

The exhibition will be held from 24th October to 6th November in the Sala Axular (1st Floor). It will display explanatory panels, personal belongings of Torres Quevedo and the model of a cable car made by him.

Both activities are organised by the UPV/EHU Chair of Scientific Culture and form part of the Zientzia astea programme.