The day before yesterday, on December 13, 2022 (yes, yes, I know it was Tuesday the 13th, but I’m not superstitious), the new platform CaixaForum+, dedicated exclusively to culture, was publicly launched at CaixaForum Madrid.

Surely, just by seeing the platform’s name, you’ve already guessed that Fundación La Caixa is behind this wonderful initiative—a bold and innovative project that aims to make cultural content accessible to anyone who wants it. And the best part? It’s completely free! (I’ll tell you more about that later).

The presentation was spectacular, featuring a wonderful musical performance by Oscar D’aniello (Delafé).

Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, current president of the Academy of Performing Arts, actress, and television presenter, among many other things, served as the master of ceremonies with her characteristic grace and elegance. One by one, the different “protagonists”—people who have participated in some of the platform’s available content—took the stage at her invitation.

Seated on the stage’s “chester” (sofa) were Elisa Durán (Deputy General Director of Fundación La Caixa), Víctor García de Gomar (Artistic Director of Gran Teatre del Liceu), Guillermo Solana (Artistic Director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum), Leticia Dolera (actress, director, and audiovisual producer) and María Arnal (artist and composer), who also delighted us all with a beautiful rendition of El Cant de la Sibil·la.

As you can see, all these figures fit within the traditional concept of “culture”—painting, theater, cinema, music…

But to fulfill the platform’s broader vision, as expressed at the beginning by Elisa Durán, something was missing: science.

That’s why, at Cayetana’s invitation, two much lesser-known figures took the stage: Bartolomé Luque (Doctor in Physical Sciences and professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid) and myself (labeled as a biologist, science communicator, and photographer).

There we were, Bartolo (only my mother calls him Bartolomé, sic) and I, sitting on the famous “chester,” probably sparking the curiosity of the audience, who likely knew little about us. And that’s precisely what we talked about—the curiosity that drives knowledge and the false distinction between science and culture, a misconception that CaixaForum+ is fortunately working to dismantle. We also discussed the importance of scientific rigor in communication, the pandemic, Einstein, the first step on the Moon, the Fourier transform, algebra, numbers and letters, the invisible, the idea of being “a science person” or “a humanities person,” religion and science, flat-earthers and anti-vaxxers… basically, if they had let us, we would have talked about The Thirty Pieces of Silver too! Some of Bartolo’s examples even got the audience laughing (Science and humor? Apparently, it’s possible—even while taking science completely seriously!). In the end, thanks to Bartolo’s spontaneity and my txapela (Basque beret), we earned the (hopefully affectionate) nickname “the odd couple.”

A key role in shaping this “odd couple” was played by Mireia Gubern, Marta Morales, and Ignasi Miró from Fundación La Caixa’s Corporate Directorate of Culture and Science, with whom I have a wonderful working relationship.

I encourage everyone to subscribe to the platform, either via the web version (https://caixaforumplus.org/) or through the tablet and mobile app, available on Google Play and the App Store.

There, among more than 900 productions and 600 hours of content (a number that will continue to grow), you’ll find our series Habitantes del Micromundo (Inhabitants of the Microworld), where you can learn more about the “invisible” beings I mentioned earlier.

And speaking of the invisible, I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the amazing team working behind the scenes at the event—sound technicians, makeup artists, stage coordinators—for their kindness and support at all times. Thank you all so much!

Photos are taken from various media sources.