Warrior of the Sun
I couldn’t help but (bitterly) smile a bit at the fates of scientists and innovators. It seems they struggle “against windmills” their whole lives. This especially applies to discoveries that can be in service of all humanity. Tesla, for example, wanted to provide everyone with unlimited (and cheap) energy (electricity) and wireless communication. And in the biography/monograph “Warrior of the Sun” we see how Dr. Branko Lalović wanted something similar with solar energy.
I mentioned at the beginning the fate of scientists. Somehow you always notice that all great scientists were ahead of their time, not to say they were prophets of the future. Then, technology in their time was insufficiently developed for them to materialize their ideas (remember that Tesla had to keep many of his ideas in his head or somewhere on paper because there wasn’t enough capital or developed technology of that era). And finally, you wonder whether some (wealthy and influential) individuals weren’t capable of understanding scientists’ ideas of their era… or had some agenda of their own and deliberately pretended not to understand or weren’t interested in investing in certain technology.
But let’s get back to the book…
I had the opportunity to meetŽivojin Žika Petrović through his book “Goodbye” (but also in person), a documentary thriller about the richest Belgrade woman (I admit, I just can’t make myself pick up books from the series “Unreal but Real,” but I’ve already targeted “Cuker Laza” for purchase in the coming period :D). The author gathered all possible information and documents about Draga Mitrićević and created a very interesting book, so I didn’t doubt there’d now be quite a bit of substantiated facts about Branko Lalović.
And how could it not be when Branko Lalović was the author’s uncle (and hero). He knew what kind of man his uncle was, and moreover found many of his writings and united them in a story about one of the greatest fighters for solar energy in (now distant) Yugoslavia.
There’s a high probability that, if you’re a member of younger generations (like me :D) you haven’t heard of Branko Lalović. Successful ETF student who perfected himself abroad, he started his career in the “Laboratory of the Boris Kidrič Institute of Physics” in Vinča, where he dealt with research in the field of experimental nuclear physics, where he remained until his (debatable) retirement and achieved notable results. What’s interesting is that in the 70s he turned to research of alternative energy sources and soon became a fervent advocate (and expert in the field) of solar energy.
The book “Warrior of the Sun” tries to bring us closer to what Branko Lalović was like both as a person and as a scientist and what all challenges he encountered in the struggle for the Sun to get its chance as a significant energy source in service of humanity.
We’ll see that his students and assistants adored him and loved to have long conversations with him (in the unusual villa “Sun”) on the topic of solar energy’s future, how Lalović families were close (and unusual), what (or who) was Branko Lalović’s great love.
We’ll discover how a huge number of people held respect for Branko. How various scientists, researchers (both professional and amateur), journalists constantly called and wrote to him… both from our (then) country and abroad.
But we’ll also see how he had numerous opponents, especially those who advocated for nuclear energy and construction of nuclear power plants on Yugoslav territory and who did everything to diminish the significance and potential of the Sun (as an unprofitable energy source).
A good part of the book “Warrior of the Sun” is devoted to debates led by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Paar, who didn’t believe humanity could yet exploit the Sun’s capacities and convert them into energy (to be financially and technologically profitable), and Prof. Dr. Branko Lalović who was a fervent advocate of the opposite. These debates contained everything from facts, through speculation to poetic comments, like watching a debate between two top rhetoricians.
What’s a very interesting detail is how influential advocates of nuclear energy were, both in scientific circles and political leadership itself, and that the people apparently weren’t aware for a long time of what all potential dangers could happen if nuclear power plants were built across Yugoslavia. Perhaps it would have been too late if there weren’t individuals who pointed to the danger and appealed for a search for alternative energy sources.
Branko Lalović fought with all forces and means to raise people’s awareness of the Sun’s significance and how we could use its energy. From public debates, guest appearances at symposia, on shows, writing articles, various research… Interestingly, the rest of the (scientific) world apparently was aware of the knowledge Branko Lalović possessed before people in these areas (or they just pretended to be clueless). Moreover, many foreign countries and organizations (like the CIA) paid attention to Lalović and his work. You wonder at one point why Lalović didn’t simply go to America where scientific (and probably business) circles would have welcomed him with open arms.
Of course, one of the mysteries concerns his death too, because he died from a very rare disease, which makes you wonder whether it’s simply (ordinary) death from some serious illness… or something else. I don’t know, reading the book, I was most bothered by the mysterious bottle that stood for a long time in Prof. Lalović’s office.
It’s a bit ironic how we (thinking of the region) were once more interested in solar energy (and apparently had more advanced understandings) and how many of our companies worked on developing certain tools and devices for building solar panels and cells, and today it’s such an unimportant and secondary topic for us.
Some apparently criticized Branko Lalović for being some kind of “stage scientist” and devoting a lot of time to presenting in media and at various events his views on the significance of solar energy. However, Lalović still left tangible traces in science, so it’s somehow sensible to promote to broad masses in what direction science is going (or should go), to gain support (and potential funding). Tesla was also aware of this at the time and knew he occasionally had to turn into an “entertainer” for broad masses, to awaken awareness of alternating current’s significance.
All in all, “Warrior of the Sun” is interesting reading in which everyone will find something interesting. Science lovers (and hobbyists) will surely find numerous interesting facts about Professor Lalović and the significance of solar energy. Some older generations will perhaps be reminded of bygone times and how some things were different then. And younger generations will have the chance to see what professors were once like and why numerous generations have nice memories of them, permeated with various anecdotes. And finally, to save some worthy people from oblivion.
Another good book by Žika Petrović, who’s increasingly establishing himself as a quality writer-researcher. And this is confirmed by the awards he receives for his books.
And you, dear reader, have you (or someone from your family) heard of Branko Lalović? 🙂
Author’s website
Book price: Laguna | Delfi | Vulkan | Makart
