Scientific institutions open their doors to public in sixth Week of Science and Technology

Once again, scientific institutions around the country have opened their doors to the public for a Week of Science and Technology. Czech scientists are joining the EU-wide event for the sixth time this year; the aim is to give the general public a chance to take a closer look at scientific work, talk to researchers and see the results of their efforts.

Besides the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a few other institutions have joined the weeklong event this year: among them universities, museums, and libraries. Overall, sixteen institutions will welcome visitors for tours and lectures this week. For example, for Prague's Institute of Criminology it will be a first-time experience. Its experts will be showing visitors the methods of crime investigation and, as detective Pavel Kolar says, they will be trying to refute some stereotypes about criminal science and detective work.

"For example we will try to put right some myths that TV series often propagate about our work. To mention just one: usually in films one man can single-handedly manage all the work which is normally done by a whole team of experts."

Czech institutions have traditionally co-operated with the British Council in organising the events of the Week of Science and Technology. Simon Martin is Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Prague.

"The British government through the Council and the Embassy has been involved in Czech Science Week for the past four years. This year the main focus of the British input is to do with climate change. We have Mark Lynas, the very well-known British environmentalist, scientist and journalist, who will be making a very provocative presentation here in Prague on the 6th of November and in Brno on the 7th of November to encourage a debate about the impact of climate change and encouraging people to discuss with him his own predictions which I'm afraid are very gloomy indeed."

As part of this year's Science Week, people in the Czech Republic can also pay a visit to all power plants operated by the company CEZ. The side events of the Week of Science and Technology, such as exhibitions and discussion round tables, this year focus on biotechnologies and nanotechnologies.