prof. dr. Bas Haring

About Bas Haring

Bas Haring thinks and questions, writes and speaks. In a clear and stimulating way, he tries to give meaning to science and philosophy for one’s life. He does this by writing books, columns, and creating TV programs. Bas Haring is a professor at Leiden University where he holds the chair ‘public understanding of science’ and he is the founder of the master’s program Media Technology for creative science. In 2016, Bas Haring won the Duidelijketaalprijs for clearly explaining scientific topics to a general audience.

Bas Haring published his first (children’s) book ‘Cheese and the Theory of Evolution’ in 2001 for which he received a Gouden Uil. This was followed by ‘The Iron Will’ (2003), ‘For a Truly Successful Life’ (2007), and ‘Plastic Pandas’ (2011). On TV, Bas Haring appeared in the programs Stof and Haring and he is part of the panel of Proefkonijnen. Following the program ‘Proefkonijnen’, he released the book ‘Do This Especially at Home’ in early 2014. With this book, he wants the reader to ask themselves questions about science and to explore on their own. His most recent book is ‘Why Cola Is More Expensive Than Milk.’ In this book, he shares his surprising discoveries and answers questions such as: where does money come from? Are we rich thanks to the poverty of others? And why is cola more expensive than milk?

Bas Haring is an exception as a scientist because he manages to engage a broad audience with his work. The average person can draw much inspiration from his work, and scientists also find his work fresh and innovative. His main goal is to help people better understand the world around them. Theory is interspersed with practical everyday examples that help the reader create a clear picture for themselves. Bas strips science of its veil of vagueness and touches its essence. This makes his way of thinking incredibly inspiring and educational. As a speaker, he always manages to give a surprising twist to his story. This way, he continuously captivates his audience and prompts them to reflect on his vision.

Bas Haring is a highly sought-after speaker at Speakers Academy. His talks are never standard stories, and he always comes up with something new; and on a wide range of topics. Recent themes include:

• Artificial intelligence and the question of whether robots will make us redundant.
• The role of stories in our “image society.”
• Questions surrounding sustainability.
• What is the purpose of education?
• Banks and insurers of the future.
• What is identity?
• Measuring and knowing.

Bas Haring hopes that people think after a lecture, “Hmmm… interesting. I need to think about this some more.”