Leonardo illuminates the European Researchers' Night with educational workshops and demonstrations of high technology

• Participation in the initiative is an opportunity to highlight Leonardo as an engine of innovation
• The event is part of the Company's promotion of scientific citizenship
• In the CNR area of Tor Vergata in Rome, Leonardo will demonstrate at its laboratories aspects of quantum physics  focused on young people, as well as immersive virtual reality technologies and the management of satellite data for Earth Observation
• At the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, the company is participating in the "Open Night | Face to face with research ", with an in-depth examination of the ExoMars2020 mission, which will hunt for signs of life in the subsoil of the Red Planet​

Leonardo is participating in the European Researchers' Night, the initiative promoted by the European Commission and dedicated to the world of science and research which, on 28th September, will involve a large audience of visitors in more than one hundred Italian cities.

The European Researchers' Night, which provides free public access to many research facilities, offers events for everyone. For Leonardo, scientific research is a central element of its growth plan. Collaboration with universities, institutes and research institutions is a fundamental tool in the Company's Open Innovation strategy, with € 1.5 billion invested in 2017 in Research and Development, equal to over 13% of revenues. The initiative is also part of Leonardo's activities aimed at disseminating scientific citizenship and promoting, among the next generation of scientists and researchers, themes and paths oriented to the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

Leonardo's employees will take part in many events to promote the culture of innovation and show the public examples of its advanced technologies and products.

In Rome, within the CNR area of Tor Vergata, there will be three Leonardo laboratories open to the public, where visitors will be able to experiment with the extraordinary aspects of quantum physics and its use in secure communications, sensors and calculation. The first prototypes of neuromorphic light circuits will be shown which will be able to replicate the functioning of the human brain in the near future. Interferometric experiments will reveal the structure of optical vortices, a new alphabet of communication, while with the interactive experiment "007 QUANTUM", children and youngsters will be able to play "quantum spies", using light to generate cryptographic keys for secret messages. In the same pavilion the MORPHEUS-XR system will be visible, allowing the visitor to immerse themselves in a virtually reproduced work environment. With the support of Telespazio and e-Geos, it will also be possible to explore the uses of Earth Observation satellite data for land management, natural resources and human activities. Using the results of a project carried out for the European Commission, the importance of forecasting meteorological events occurring in space, such as solar eruptions and storms, will be demonstrated and how these could jeopardise the operation and safety of aircraft and other critical infrastructures that rely on satellite positioning systems.

In Milan, Leonardo will be present at the National Museum of Science and Technology at the "Open Night”. The leading topic of the evening will once again be Mars, with the mission ExoMars 2020, the European probe that will hunt for signs of life in the subsoil of the Red Planet. A prototype of the auger, produced by Leonardo and used to drill the Martian soil during the mission, was donated to the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, where it is permanently exhibited.