The Ibn al-Haytham Scientific Meeting for Optics was held at the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO on Saturday in Tehran. The conference commemorates Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), the Arab polymath and philosopher who made significant contributions to the principles of optics and visual perception, IRNA reported. “This great scientist has written one of the most influential books on optical physics a thousand years ago, building a springboard for scholars after him,” said Dr. Sa’dollah Nasiri Qeydari, event secretary. The United Nations has declared 2015 ‘International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies,’ and several nations have held a number of events to honor the scientist. A report of Iran’s activities this year dedicated to Alhazen’s scientific works has been compiled and will be presented to UNESCO, Qeydari said.
