The purpose of the session was to demonstrate that literature and science are not poles apart, as people sometimes imagine, but actually come together in our modern world. It was argued that poets are in fact closer to scientists in their way of thinking, in their sociology and in many of their preoccupations than previously thought. Poet-scientists have always existed, but, today, there is a growing band of poets for whom science is not a distant island but a real dream.

The event was such a success that Science meets Poetry 2 was held at ESOF2010 in Torino. The Proceedings have just been published by Euroscience.

Currently, Science meets Poetry 3 is in preparation. The meeting was held at Trinity College Dublin in the Schroedinger Lecture Theatre on July 14th as part of the ESOF2012 Programme. It was attended by the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and by the Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, amongst other distinguishe participants. It is planned to hold Science meets Poetry 4 in Copenhagen, at ESOF2024..