On Friday, 26 September, the HiLASE Centre once again welcomed the public as part of the nationwide Researchers’ Night. The evening was full of discoveries, fun, and unique experiences that proved even exact science can be playful and inspiring.
One of the highlights was the premiere of “Bad Physics in Movies vol. 2” by Jan Kaufman. Building on the success of the first edition, the lecture quickly booked out and took the audience on an entertaining journey through Hollywood’s most common “physics fails.” With humor and clarity, Jan revealed which laws of nature are often broken on screen – and why the real world of physics is no less fascinating.
Visitors also enjoyed “Laser MythBusters”, a series of live experiments debunking common misconceptions about lasers while explaining physics in a fun, hands-on way. Another popular part of the program were tours of the Laser Shock Peening laboratories, normally closed to the public.
The evening also saw the premiere of the HiLASE Guardians – a team of superheroes inspired by our unique lasers BIVOJ, KAZI, PERLA, and ESTER. Through these characters, visitors got to know what makes our technologies special.
Additional highlights included:
- demonstrations of 3D printing for both research and hobby purposes,
- a hyperspectral camera revealing the world in new dimensions,
- a prototype robotic turret from our defence applications team, which visitors could try in both automated and manual modes,
- a creative corner with light painting and experiments with the composition of colors.
The whole evening unfolded in a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere. Many thanks to everyone who joined us – whether for the science, the experiments, or our new laser superheroes.
About Researchers’ Night 2025
Researchers’ Night is a nationwide science festival that opens universities and research centers across the Czech Republic to the public. Each year it brings science closer to people in an engaging and accessible way.
This year’s edition took place on Friday, 26 September, with the theme of “Wealth”. Dozens of institutions across the country prepared hundreds of lectures, experiments, workshops, and excursions, showing that science is not only about laboratories, but also about discovery, creativity, and the constant transformation of knowledge.
More information can be found at nocvedcu.cz.
