# Event Details - **Event Name**: Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 05 Mar, 2026 at 12:00 pm – Thu, 05 Mar, 2026 at 01:00 pm - **Event Description**: Athanasius Kircher is probably the most prolific polymath you’ve never heard of.About this EventOver the course of a career that spanned much of the 17th century, the German Jesuit priest and scholar published some 40 books on topics as varied as Egyptology, geology, magnetism, medicine, optics, and mathematics. He was among the earliest to observe microbes through a microscope; he was the first to propose that the plague was caused by an infectious microorganism; he even invented the megaphone.As his biographer John Glassie notes, Kircher might well have been remembered today as a 17th century Leonardo - were it not for his tendency to present wild speculation as established fact. Kircher confidently asserted that magnetism was a divine force; that a network of fires and oceans led to the Earth’s core; that mountains were hollow and filled with water.In this lunchtime program, University of Melbourne lecturer and philosopher Dr Jenny Judge will unpack the philosophical theories Kircher tried to revive and defend in Musurgia Universalis, his 1650 compendium of music theory from the Rare Music Collection, evaluating their success, while also illuminating Kircher a strikingly unique scholar. Jenny will provide insights into how as long as there has been science and philosophy, the brightest among us have felt the power of music and struggled to make sense of it.Presented in partnership with the PGAV’s Analog Art program, Archives and Special Collections' Spotlight Series features archivists, librarians, curators, researchers, academics and artists. Each session spotlights the wonders our collections hold and create san informal space for engaging in critical conversations, reflective discussions, slow looking, creative workshops, talks and much more. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/parkville/spotlight-on-music-science-and-flights-of-fancy-in-musurgia-universalis/100001982646853109 - **Event Categories**: Workshops, Art - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Parkville - **state**: VI - **country**: Australia - **location**: Leigh Scott Room, Level 1, Baillieu Library - **lat**: -37.7984583 - **long**: 144.9593518 - **full address**: Leigh Scott Room, Level 1, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/9867f2da25c8a6e9926eed7839ef8771073976de3adcf5bd0d96ccae8758ae4d-rimg-w1200-h880-dcc5bba5-gmir.jpg?v=1770966634 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis being held? - **A:** Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis takes place on Thu, 05 Mar, 2026 at 12:00 pm to Thu, 05 Mar, 2026 at 01:00 pm at Leigh Scott Room, Level 1, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia. - **Q**: Who is organizing Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis? - **A:** Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis is organized by Archives and Special Collections. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis is ideal for party-goers, social butterflies, and anyone looking for a great night out with music, drinks, and good vibes. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Parkville, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Spotlight On: Music, science and flights of fancy in Musurgia Universalis", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/9867f2da25c8a6e9926eed7839ef8771073976de3adcf5bd0d96ccae8758ae4d-rimg-w1200-h880-dcc5bba5-gmir.jpg?v=1770966634", "startDate": "2026-03-05", "endDate": "2026-03-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/parkville/spotlight-on-music-science-and-flights-of-fancy-in-musurgia-universalis/100001982646853109", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Leigh Scott Room, Level 1, Baillieu Library", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "University of Melbourne", "postalCode": "3010", "addressLocality": "Parkville", "addressRegion": "VI", "addressCountry": "AU" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "-37.7984583", "longitude": "144.9593518" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Athanasius Kircher is probably the most prolific polymath you’ve never heard of.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-09", "availabilityEnds": "2026-03-05", "validFrom": "2026-04-09", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/parkville/spotlight-on-music-science-and-flights-of-fancy-in-musurgia-universalis/100001982646853109" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-09", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-09", "url": "https://allevents.in/parkville/spotlight-on-music-science-and-flights-of-fancy-in-musurgia-universalis/100001982646853109", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Archives and Special Collections", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/archives-and-special-collections/21309341", "description": "Archives and Special Collections regularly hold events as part of our exhibition programming and collection engagement activities. All our events are free and open to everyone, whether they are part of the University community or not. Our event venues are wheelchair accessible - please let us know if you have additional needs when registering with our programs." } ] } ] ```