Den Gyllene Grenen

Den Gyllene Grenen - existential conversations on today’s pressing questions.

In this series of in-depth discussions, we meet some of the most thought-provoking voices of our time. Guided by Christer Sturmark and Victoria Larm, the conversations move beyond the surface, exploring the ideas, stories, and experiences that shape—and sometimes transform—our lives. With themes such as faith, science, meaning, and courage, we examine what truly carries us through the human experience.

A conversation about humanity, the cosmos, and miracles. Two people, both prominent in their fields. One, a beloved and romantically inclined author, who breathes life into language through metaphor. The other, one of Sweden’s leading physicists, with a strong belief in science’s ability to approach the nature of reality.

Their physical meeting at the 2024 Book Fair is brief. But the conversation continues in a lively, associative flow. By the end, the author has reconciled with much of the logic of natural science, and the physicist admits that miracles exist—at least in a metaphorical sense. Not least, they have written autobiographies—each their own, or perhaps a shared one—that explore life’s greatest questions. Tonight, they come together for a conversation about humanity, the cosmos, and miracles.

Björn Ranelid is one of Sweden’s most prolific authors and cultural personalities. He has written over forty books and received numerous awards and honors. He is also a highly popular speaker. Människan är ett mirakel (Humanity is a Miracle) is his first book with Fri Tanke.

Ulf Danielsson is a professor of theoretical physics at Uppsala University and one of Sweden’s most active popular science communicators. He has written several popular science books and has been a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences since 2009. Människan är ett mirakel (Humanity is a Miracle) is his sixth book with Fri Tanke.

As usual, the conversation is led by Victoria Larm and Christer Sturmark.

Victoria has a background in art history and is an author, currently publishing the historical thriller novels The Ninth Circle, The Disguised God, and The Dying Slave (Norstedts).

Christer Sturmark is CEO of Fri Tanke Publishing, a social commentator, author, and editor-in-chief of Sans magazine, currently publishing The Art of Thinking Clearly (Fri Tanke).