Piccardi’s Chemical Test Results as a Support of Russian Researches in Heliogeophysics

and Heliobiology from 20 c

Anna Piccardi, Giuseppe Bonacina

Scientific Journalist, e-mail: bonacina@anima.it

The Italian scientist Giorgio Piccardi (1895 – 1972) carried out for more than 20 years its original “chemical test” based on the reaction BiCl₃ + H₂O → BiOCl + 2HCl showing evidence of a correlation between the statistical results of the test and solar activity cycle (sunspot number). So, in many aspects, Piccardi’s research has anticipated the modern science of “space weather”.

Moreover, Piccardi’s results supported several empirical researches in heliogeophysics and heliobiology largely carried out in Russia from 20s, showing qualitative correlations between biological, medical and human phenomena with environmental factors, especially of solar origin. Some of the Russian scientists involved in these scientific studies were: V. Vernadski (1863 – 1945), who introduced the term “biosphere”, the microbiologist S. Velkhover (1885 – 1942), the geophysic M. Eigenson (1906 – 1962) and, above all, A.L. Tchijevski (1897 – 1964), who registered correlations between several epidemic trends and solar activity.

Piccardi’s scientific works had a large diffusion in Russia in 50s and 60s. He had contacts with many russian scientists and held several conferences in then URSS: in Moscow, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and at Pulkovo observatory. In particular, Piccardi was a dear friend of Tchijevski, who was also a painter and gave him some admirable paints.

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