Researchers’ Night at CATRIN will offer experiments, excursions and a model of Mars
The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) of Palacký University will join this year’s nationwide event for the popularization of science—Researchers’ Night. On Friday, September 30, visitors can explore CATRIN’s laboratories and test their senses in a number of interesting biological, chemical or physical experiments. Thanks to cooperation with the Brno Observatory and Planetarium, visitors will also be able to see a four-meter model of the planet Mars, which will be in front of the CATRIN – RCPTM building in the Holice campus.
“After last year’s success, when the interest in visiting CATRIN exceeded our expectations, we want to offer this opportunity to the public again. We consider the popularization of science to be very important. We will be happy to explain to visitors how the results of our research can in the future benefit the development of the city, as well as the region, and contribute to solving serious global problems. I believe that my colleagues will be successful at spreading the joy of doing scientific research among our guests,” says CATRIN director Pavel Banáš, inviting visitors.
Since the subtitle of this year’s edition is All Senses, visitors will be able to test their taste, smell, sight and touch between 5pm and 10pm. Visitors will be able to prepare their own fragrant essence by chemical reaction, feel the cold and heat from liquid nitrogen and fire, hear the barking of hydrogen and more. They will be able to touch live beetles or listen to tropical cockroaches. They will learn how fireflies communicate or can taste flour worms. They will be introduced to plants whose genetic sources are being studied by experts in Olomouc, which find use for the acquisition of aromas and colours.
At regular intervals, there will be excursions to laboratories where cutting-edge nanotechnology and material research is conducted. It is here that scientists are looking for ways to use nanoparticles and nanotechnology in a wide range of applications from environmental protection to biomedicine to industrial use or energy extraction and storage.
Researchers’ Night is a popularization event that aims to show people that neither science nor scientists are dull. On the contrary, science is a wellspring of fascinating phenomena and scientists are people who do work that all of us benefit from. It started in 2005 as an initiative of the European Commission and soon gained great popularity in the Czech Republic. At present, it involves two dozen universities and more than forty scientific institutions, science centres, observatories and other organizations in more than 100 locations across the country. Olomouc Researchers’ Night regularly attracts up to 6,000 visitors.