Key-words: physical sciences, 15th-20th centuries; technology; material culture; mathematical games 

This research group shares a common agenda with Science and Technology (i).

Together with our twin research line we are working on the following topics:

• Popularization of science and technology in Portugal (18th-20th centuries)
• Institutions for the Teaching of Science and Technology in Portugal
• Material culture and collection-based History of Science
• History of Astronomy

Specific to this research group, the following research topics are under scrutiny:

• History of physical sciences 15th-20th centuries; completion of the Complete Works of Pedro Nunes and biography of Pedro Nunes; role of mathematical instruments and question of mathematical certainty in the emergence of modern science; institutional histories of Polytechnic School of Lisbon (EP), Faculty of Sciences of Lisbon (FCUL) and the Astronomical Observatory of Lisbon (OAL), emergence and development of scientific disciplines (physics, chemistry, astronomy, meteorology etc); popularization of science and technology; historiographical considerations on science in the European Periphery; historiographical considerations on the history of quantum chemistry.
• Material culture and collection-based history of science – case studies involving collections held at the Museum of Science (MCUL) and the disassembled collection of the Cabinet of Physics of Ajuda. Special emphasis will be given to the organization of working tools, namely the production of an inventory of national scientific heritage, and the participation in the production of a Thesaurus of Scientific Instruments in Portuguese;
• History of mathematical games –game Ludus Regularis (10th century) and João de Barros’ game (16th century). Study of differential evolution of games migrating from Africa to the Madeira island and the Portuguese mainland.
• History of technology - plastics and PVC