The wealth of science was brought closer to visitors during Night of Scientists at UWB in Pilsen

Cold cookies made from liquid nitrogen, electrifying experiments, a light tunnel, and medieval weapons. Visitors to Night of Scientists, which filled the campus of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen on Friday evening, got to try all of these things. Wealth was the central theme.

During the evening, visitors young and old became part of the experiments. On Friday, September 26, as part of the 20th annual Night of Scientists event, they experienced, for example, tasting cookies dipped in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 170 °C. "When I bit into it, steam came out of my mouth and nose," laughed one of the young visitors who tried out the physics demonstrations organized by the Faculty of Education.

All faculties of the University of West Bohemia, its departments, and external partners participated in Researchers' Night. The exhibitions focused on various forms of wealth. The Faculty of Economics prepared a program on inflation, the development of money and cryptocurrencies, and offered banknote authentication. The Faculty of Health Studies showed how health can be a form of wealth. The Faculty of Arts presented archaeological finds, and the University Library invited visitors to an escape game. The Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art screened student films, among other things. The Faculty of Electrical Engineering opened its laboratories to the public. "The anechoic chamber allows us to measure the parameters of speakers and microphones without distortion, while the reverberation chamber is used to examine the absorptivity of materials," explained Stanislav Bouzek from the Department of Materials and Technologies. His colleague Petr Kropík used special glasses to transport interested visitors into virtual and augmented reality.

According to Ivana Stuchlová, head of the Department of External Relations and Communication at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, the aim of the event is to offer the general public a unique insight into the university's facilities. "The campus is a center of science throughout the year, but this evening is special in that it is open to the general public, including employees' families and even our graduates," she said.

Next year's event will be held under a new name, Science Night, to emphasize that both women and men are equally involved in science.

What did the event look like? You can see for yourself in the photo gallery and listen to a short report below.