For the ninth time, we met science enthusiasts from schools and the general public at the Czech Academy of Sciences' Science Fair, the largest popular science event in the Czech Republic. At the FZU exhibition, people could play sunrays in the photovoltaic tent, see the spectrum of visible light with their own eyes, build molecules from Lego, read new physics-themed comics and short stories, and also see a real magnetic sputtering machine, observe the martensitic transformation of alloys under a microscope, and other important physical instruments and phenomena.
The poster titled "Anonymization: The Future is Unbiased", presented by the FZU team (led by Markéta Iffland and Lucie Speváková) at the EARMA–INORMS Congress 2025, has been selected by expert committee as the best poster. The event, held from 6 to 8 May 2025 in Madrid, Spain, brought together over 2,000 research management professionals from 67 countries, offering a unique platform for in-person networking and exchange of best practices.
Altermagnets and magnonics have both made the headlines repeatedly last year. Miina Leiviskä, a MSCA COFUND Physics for Future fellowship postdoc at the Institute of Physics of the CAS, blends these topics that have so recently upturned the world of physics. Are they at the core of future computing, or is it not so simple?
Some of our colleagues have commented for the weekly Respekt on the case of abuse of a superior position, which according to testimony occurred for several years at the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The management of FZU expresses its full support to all those who have been harmed by such behaviour. At the same time, the management of FZU thanks all those who have contributed and are contributing to the creation of an open and safe working environment through their testimony.
How many nanometres does your hand measure? Why does nothing stand still in the nano- world? And what does atomic force microscopy allow us to do? This and more is revealed in the new comic book Secrets of the Nano- World, published by the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The comic book introduces the frequently mentioned, but rarely taught topic of nanotechnology to (not only) students and teachers.
Without adequate methods, science is essentially blind. Why, then, is it so hard to secure funding for pure method development? Daniel Tchoń from the Institute of Physics of the CAS shares his journey towards scientific software development and why he views science as a form of art.
Where does science end and art begin, and vice versa? This is the question posed to visitors by the new exhibition Reflections, which brings together the works of four leading Czech and Polish artists, scientific perspectives on their artworks and new works inspired by these scientific analyses. Science turns its gaze to art, which returns it, and the cycle of inspiration unfolds.
On (not only) open questions in physics with David Hlaváček
In the "Open Questions in Physics" interview series we introduce you to different research areas and personalities of the Institute of Physics. At the Department of Astroparticle Physics, David Hlaváček is involved in the design of one of the control modules of the upcoming LISA space mission, which aims to capture gravitational waves possibly dating back to the very beginning of the universe. In addition, he is also involved in the outreach and philosophy of science. Where does he see physics going, what will LISA tell us about the cosmos and why is it important to inspire new generations of scientists?
On open questions in astroparticle physics with Jakub Vícha
Where do high-energy cosmic ray particles come from and how can we even learn what they are? Can they open up an opportunity for us to discover completely new physical processes? And can cosmic rays influence the weather? These questions have not been answered yet, but research by Jakub Vícha from the Department of Astroparticle Physics at FZU is bringing us closer to unravelling these mysteries.
