Články dle značky: Science

“I have actually never done anything else,” is how Marek Stibal, who has been studying biological processes in glacial ecosystems for almost 20 years.

There are more than 3‚000 species of termites, and their combined mass is greater than the combined mass of all human beings on the planet. They’re best known as pests that can gnaw through your house, but only in recent years has more research been done into their significance for the ecosystem.

A team of Czech parasitologists from CU’s Faculty of Science has been working with researchers from Great Britain, Israel, and Canada to develop an effective vaccine preventing against leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by sand flies. The results of their study were published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

„Končí éra superspecialistů, budoucnost patří absolventům, kteří umí jednotlivé disciplíny propojovat a hledat řešení komplexních problémů,“ říká biolog Jan Černý. I proto se spojila Přírodovědecká a Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta a na Univerzitě Karlově vznikl nový bakalářský program Science.

It was apparent that the complete but darkened skeleton of a small whale at the Museum of Human and Comparative Anatomy would eventually fall apart. But restorers achieved something remarkable: returning the skeleton – one of only two in the Czech Republic – to its former glory, while also preserving soft tissue. The team was headed by anthropologist and anatomist Andrej Shbat.

“Have you ever imagined what life would be like if it evolved in a cold ocean beneath an impenetrable shell of ice, or on a world whose haze obscured the universe beyond?” That is a question posed by members of EAI such as Julie Nováková, a biologist and PhD student at Charles University, launching a campaign to publish a new sci-fi anthology.

„‎Čekali jsme, že největší změny vegetace budou na konci doby ledové. Překvapilo nás, že to jsou poslední čtyři tisíce let,“ říká paleoekolog Petr Kuneš z Přírodovědecké fakulty UK, který se na publikaci v prestižním vědeckém časopise Science podílel.

“We expected the biggest changes in vegetation to be at the end of the Ice Age. Instead, we were surprised they were in the last four thousand years," says paleoecologist Petr Kuneš of the Faculty of Science. Kuneš and fellow experts' findings were published  in the prestigious scientific journal Science.

Ten Czech scientists, in two main categories, received Neuron Awards on Tuesday at a gala ceremony at Prague’s National Museum. Three received the award for their lifelong contribution to science, while seven awards went to young researchers. Eight recipients have ties with, or work at, Charles University.

Experts vs. “experts” - Scientists in the Media was the title of an online panel discussion on Thursday hosted by Kampus Hybernská. Four invited speakers – two well-known science journalists and two scientists, discussed the difficulties of their fields and where they overlapped, as well as the damage caused by some experts spreading denial.

Last Thursday, Charles University hosted the long-awaited Women in Science seminar, examining conditions of female experts in the Czech scientific and research environments. Invited speakers discussed both opportunities and barriers and as well as what needs to change.

The year 2021 saw no end to the pandemic, which brought numerous complications, including for scientists. Nevertheless, scientific research continued with positive results. We offer a look back at science at Charles University over the course of the year.

Science communication – raising  awareness and understanding among the general public, while capturing the thrill of successful science – is something of an art. It isn’t always easy to communicate effectively. But British experts agree, it is essential and it's important to get it right.

Over three thousand visitors saw, heard, felt, tasted or touched science on Friday, 30 September, the day that Czech European Researchers Night took place. Charles University prepared 80 activities for children and adults. Also on view was the FameLab competition final.

Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and Barry Sharpless were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their research on tools for building molecules. Their findings will contribute to the development of processes that simplify functional chemistry.