Jan Velinger
Studied film directing at FAMU in Prague and began in current affairs in commercial television in 1996. Worked as a reporter and presenter at the English service of Czech Radio for more than sixteen years, before joining Charles University’s media team in June 2018. He is responsible for the English edition of Forum Magazine and Forum Radio podcasts.
Caffeinated beverages in 16th century Bohemia
Anyone interested in the history of hot chocolate, tea and coffee would be thrilled to sit down with Karel Černý - the head of Prague’s Institute of Medicine and Foreign Languages at Charles University's First Faculty of Medicine - as we did. Barring that, the next best thing may be to pick up his soon to be published history about caffeinated beverages in Central Europe.
Human sacrifice in Maya culture
Zuzana Marie Kostićová is a professor at the Department of Religious Studies at Charles University’s Hussite Theological Faculty (focussing on the research and study of different belief systems).
Professor Piet Hein Donner gives Cleveringa lecture at CU
Prague’s Charles University is proud to have hosted its first Cleveringa lecture at the Patriotic Hall this week, commemorating a famous courageous protest speech by Professor Rudolph Pabus Cleveringa on November 26, 1940 at Leiden University against the dismissal of Jewish colleagues. The speech led to a student strike and closure of the university by the Nazis.
Scientist Radek Lučan on bats’ remarkable immunity
A number of deadly viruses are believed to have originated in bats, including Ebola and the original SARS. The indications are that the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 also made the jump from bats, most likely through an intermediary species.
Original artistic styles & stories focus of Frame fest
This weekend (November 3-4) saw the Frame Comics Festival, a two-day celebration of indie comics, held at the Carolinum. If you are a fan of personal stories, more niche artistic approaches and original graphic novels and children's books, this was the perfect chance to meet international authors and artists. And pick up a book for a loved one or a friend.
All that Jaz
If you are one of the two thousand or so people who attended the První republika festival organised by Charles University (and the First Faculty of Medicine) last weekend, you probably caught sight of a poster of T.G. Masaryk, as drawn by Jaz. He is the anonymous author of Opráski sčeskí historje – an irreverent comic strip that has achieved cult status through an unusual take on Czech history and the Czech language.
Nineteenth annual Science and Technology Week underway
The 2019 Week of Science and Technology, the biggest festival of its kind in the Czech Republic, organised by the Czech Academy of Sciences, got underway on Monday, kicking off more than 700 events. Included are lectures, workshops exhibitions, screenings, and experiments – at venues across the country. A large part of the programme will take place in Prague, including at participating faculties at Charles University.
The Erasmus Programme After Brexit
erMarch 29 was supposed to have been the day the UK officially left the European Union. While it didn’t happen, it appears likely Great Britain’s departure may come as soon as April 11. With the uncertainties of Brexit, some worry the Erasmus+ student exchange programme will suffer.
Padesát let po přistání na Měsíci: je na řadě Mars?
„Cestu na Měsíc jsme si zvolili ne proto, že je jednoduchá, ale právě proto, že je složitá,“ řekl John F. Kennedy, prezident USA ve své slavné „měsíční řeči“, kterou pronesl na Riceově stadionu v Houstonu 12. září 1962.
Svět larpingu: Umělecká forma i akční zábava
V Letenském parku občas můžete pozorovat skupinky lidí oblečených ve zvláštní zbroji, kteří bojují s jiným futuristicky vyhlížejícím gangem. Jedná se o jeden z formátů zábavy jménem LARP (live action role play).
Stanislav Kmoch on know-how that made testing for Covid safer
Lab contributed to testing and put years of experience into new commercial kit
Scientist Jaroslav Flegr on the resurgence of Covid-19
Well-known evolutionary biologist and parasitologist Jaroslav Flegr, who teaches at CU’s Faculty of Science, anticipated in August that things weren’t going to go the way we hoped regarding the coronavirus. As of last week, cases jumped to record levels in the Czech Republic.
V Československu programátoři využívali hry k výsměchu režimu
Vášeň pro počítače odstartovala u Jaroslava Švelcha v kanceláři jeho otce, který v 80. letech pracoval jako programátor pro Solo Sušice. Při čekání na rodiče se autor knihy s názvem Jak obehrát železnou oponu zabavoval na východoněmeckém počítači Robotron.
Petra Laššuthová: Hledáme příčiny nemocí
„Ve výzkumu jsme průlomový objev asociace genu a fenotypu učinili dvakrát,“ říká Petra Laššuthová z 2. LF UK, která se svou výškou 186 centimetrů hrávala i basketbal.
Tématem konference 4EU+ v Kodani byly vzdělávací iniciativy
Aliance 4EU+ se zaměřuje na revoluční změny ve výzkumu a vzdělávání prostřednictvím nabídky inovativních programů, které by měly zlepšit spolupráci a mobilitu a vytvořit příležitosti, které otevírají nové obzory. Kodaňská univerzita nedávno hostila pracovní skupiny ze všech členských organizací 4EU+.
Remeňová: Psaní knih mi rozšířilo perspektivy
Spisovatelů, kteří vydají svou první knihu už na střední škole, opravdu mnoho nepotkáte. Marcela Remeňová, nyní už vysokoškolská studentka Univerzity Karlovy, však přesně to dokázala. A co víc - už má za sebou dokonce tři knihy z fantasy a sci-fi série nazvané Osm světů.
