Researchers are among us!

By: Gyarmathy Dóra, Hungary

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Researchers’ Pub, ultra-high resolution seismic surveying on the Danube, lectures about the Sun, guided tour in a cave and a bath… These are some of the events are held in Hungary on Researchers’ Night. This Europe-wide programme, held on 22 September 2006, is running simultaneously in 25 countries from Belgium to Turkey. Its aim is to popularize science, scientific research.

The first Researchers’ Night was held in September 2005 and seemed to be a big success. That is why the European Commission decided to provide funding to those programmes which are attractive and innovative. On Researchers’ Night the audience can visit the labs which are usually closed for the public, the hidden treasures of museums are unveiled and researchers play music on concerts, exhibit their paintings, discuss with audience about current questions of scientific life so researchers proof that they are everyday persons as all of us.

In Hungary the events are held in two cities, Budapest and Győr and focus on two main topics: how science helps us to protect and study the Earth and how science can jointly spread environmentally-conscious behaviour. All events are organised by five partner institutions: Tempus Public Foundation, ENCOMPASS, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest Technical University and Széchenyi István University.

During that day the audience can design a poster promoting recycling, photograph science, make metal waste a work of art and get your award at the House of Future in Budapest, they can have a drink with researchers and discuss interesting topics as an informal meeting in the Researchers’ Pub, take part in an interactive and international game via Internet, learn through several lectures about the Sun, natural disasters, climate change, meaning of science, use the Foucault pendulum, measure the velocity of light and date with the stars at the bank of the river Mosoni Danube at Győr, in the evening a live Internet and television programme is produced on sustainable development, all visitors can participate in this live programme. The two most attractive programme in Budapest are a romantic scientific sailing on the Danube and guided tours in Szemlő-hegy cave and Lukács Bath. Visitors can enjoy an ultra-high resolution seismic surveying by on-line scanning of the river bottom around one of the Budapest bridges if they participate in the first programme and follow researchers to discover environmental treasures during the second programme: guided tours are held in Szemlő-hegy cave and in the Lukács Bath.

Info: www.kutatokejszakaja.hu