Filip Křížek's materials research was awarded the Lumina Quaeruntur fellowship by the Czech Academy of Sciences. The scientist is working on the development of new materials and components for a new generation of quantum technologies.
The 2025 Academic Award, an award given each year to three outstanding individuals whose past research results promise good prospects for the future, was presented to Lukáš Palatinus, a scientist at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Unlike in working with particle accelerators, where scientists plan their experiments in detail in advance, Patrik Čechvala has to wait and see what particles arrive from the depths of space. He is dedicated to observing particle showers caused by photons with extraordinary energies. In an interview about the MSCA COFUND Physics for Future postdoctoral program at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, he talks about why space is the best laboratory and how cosmic rays help uncover the secrets of the pyramids – as well as how to present the topic to the public in contests such as FameLab, in whose Czech finals he represented the Institute of Physics this year.
Will Barker is part of a new generation of theoretical physicists reshaping how we think about gravity, black holes, and the fundamental structure of the universe. His recent research explores the strange frontier where Einstein’s general relativity may no longer hold — a region populated not by traditional black holes, but by their uncanny cousins: black hole mimickers. Since joining the Physics for Future fellowship in Prague, Barker’s work has taken on a broader scope. In this interview, he reflects on the role of uncertainty in physics, how cosmology can test bold new ideas, and why running to work through the hills of Prague has become part of his scientific routine.
Thomas Gouder’s life's work at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in Karlsruhe (JRC) is a state-of-the-art modular system for surface science. The instrument, used for cutting-edge research on nuclear fuel safety, corrosion, catalysis, and actinide chemistry, has served scientists from all over Europe, including teams from Prague. What is it used for, and what lies ahead for its future?
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?
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.
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.
