The three-day Science Fair at PVA EXPO PRAHA in Letňany ended on Saturday, 10 June. Visitors were able to witness the most interesting experiments and discoveries from the world of natural sciences, engineering, humanities and social sciences at hundreds of stands located in two large halls. Of course, the HiLASE Centre (FZU) could not miss such an important event.
This year’s theme at the joint stand of the Institute of Physics of the CAS, where you could also find the HiLASE Centre, was Magical Physics. Together with visitors, we unravelled the mysteries of some optical phenomena or explored the workings of the BIVOJ laser system – the world’s most powerful laser in its class. Hundreds of “super-secret agents” passed through our popular laser maze. Our colleagues from the Faculty of Physics prepared an interactive model of a mysterious black hole or a fog chamber in which the movement of protons and electrons can be observed with the naked eye. The smallest researchers enjoyed the solar zoo with amazing moving bugs powered by the sun, a superconducting train or a complete novelty for this year – a photovoltaic tent simulating solar energy production, where instead of photons, however, plastic balls fly through the air.
“This year I was at the Science Fair for the first time and I was thrilled by the atmosphere. It’s great how many people are interested in science and how enthusiastic they are about the many experiments that we have prepared for them with other exhibitors,” says Šimon Šatra from the Advanced Laser Development Department of the HiLASE Centre, one of the many volunteers who participated in the event and to whom we owe a big thank you!
The largest popular educational event, organized annually by the Czech Academy of Sciences, is now over, but you can meet us at many other events in the autumn. During the Researchers’ Night (6 October), we will open the doors of our experimental halls for you and we are preparing a number of activities for children and adults. On 6-12 November, we will also be hosting the Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences – you can look forward to a programme for schools and the public.
