“Renaissance of Life” now also in Munich: After a successful start in Vienna, astrophysicist Heinz Oberhummer and hotelier Marc Aeberhard philosophize about the preservation of nature and its uniqueness.
Frégate Island/Munich, September 09, 2010 (l/p) – This special evening will once again be philosophical – also about the island resort Frégate Island Private. After the successful start of the philosophical discussion in Vienna, the Austrian astrophysicist Prof. Dr. Heinz Oberhummer and the Swiss hotel manager Marc Aeberhard are now also discussing their views on the preservation of nature and its uniqueness in Munich. Just as the earth is unique in the vastness of the cosmos, the Seychelles island of Frégate is a unique gem on our planet. Millions of years of evolution have shaped the island’s flora and fauna, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. After the arrival of humans, this world was severely disrupted by the introduction of non-native animal and plant species. The philosophical consideration “Renaissance of Life” is of particular importance here because, together with the exclusive tourism on Frégate, the significance of the paradisiacal flora and fauna is also brought to the fore. Oberhummer says: “The earth serves as a base for people to explore distant worlds in the macrocosm. Similarly, the island of Frégate is the starting point for excursions into the world of the microcosm.”
Heinz Oberhummer studied physics and mathematics at the Universities of Graz and Munich and is a professor of theoretical physics at the Vienna University of Technology.
His research visits have taken him to the universities of Zurich, Tübingen, CRNS Strasbourg, Leuven, Bergen, Notre Dame, Washington and Ghent. His research areas include astrophysics, astrobiology, cosmology, nuclear and elementary particle physics and science education. One of his main concerns is the popularization of natural science. He is the founder and contributor to the science cabaret “Science Busters” at the Rabenhof Theater in Vienna and other German-speaking theaters as well as the Austrian youth radio station FM4. The Science Busters can be heard as audio podcasts on FM4 and seen as video columns on onestepahead. He is the coordinator of the educational website “Cinema and Science”, where films and film scenes are scientifically analyzed in terms of their reality. Oberhummer is President of the Society for Critical Thinking, the Austrian group of the global skeptics movement and Chairman of the Central Council of Non-Confessional Organizations in Austria. His book “Kann das alles Zufall sein – Geheimnisvolles Universum” was voted Science Book of the Year 2009.
As an astrobiologist and astrophysicist, Heinz Oberhummer is concerned with life in the universe and also on our earth. Our blue planet is the only celestial body in the vast expanse of space on which, according to our current knowledge, life also exists. That’s why we have to take particularly good care of our jewel, Spaceship Earth.
The Swiss Marc Aeberhard studied business administration, sociology and social psychology at the University of Bern and then attended the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.
His professional career has taken him through Switzerland to Thailand, the Maldives, Cyprus and Sri Lanka, Ukraine, France and the Seychelles. Since 2004, he has successfully run his own company Luxury Hotel & Spa Management, which specializes in hotel openings, hotel renovations and hotel management in the highest luxury segment and for small and micro hotels. In his work, he is always concerned with an integral approach to systems. When realizing hotel dreams, Aeberhard always focuses on a new, immaterial definition of luxury based on the dimensions of space, time, people, nature and security. Authenticity and soul are key factors and driving forces that are indispensable for a successful business. Since the beginning of 2007, Marc Aeberhard and his teams have been working consistently to further implement the vision and philosophy of the Frégate owner: 100,000 endemic trees were planted, the most important tree nursery in the Seychelles was founded, the most important refuge for beetles, birds and reptiles (in addition to the two UNESCO protected areas of Aldrabra and Vallée de Mai) was established, the scientific inventory of the fauna and flora was advanced and much more. On Frégate, guests experience the preciousness of an increasingly intact ecosystem and gain an understanding of the complexity of natural systems. Only those who live with all their senses understand the uniqueness of our being. A visit to Frégate Island becomes a journey to the inner self and a rediscovery of our perception – a true renaissance of life.
The granite island of Frégate Island Private is a 20-minute flight from Mahé, the main island of the Seychelles. 16 guest villas are nestled in the tropical vegetation, hidden from view. In the interior of the island is a nature reserve with a wide variety of native flora and fauna.