125 YEARS OF THE CZECH ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES (AND ARTS)
23 Jan 2015
On Friday, 23rd January, 125 years had passed since the foundation of the Czech Academy of Emperor Franz Josef I for Sciences, Literature and Art (ČAVU), the predecessor of today’s the Czech Academy of Sciences. This significant jubilee will be commemorated by the Czech Academy of Sciences with several ceremonial events, exhibitions and lectures throughout 2015. The founder and first president of ČAVU was Josef Hlávka, an architect, builder, politician and patron. The Masaryk Academy of Labour and the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences later built on the activities of this institution.
Breakthrough in laser technologies
13 Jan 2015
The first borane laser in the world has been developed by the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the CAS
Scientists from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the CAS under the guidance of Dr. Michael G. S. Londesborough in cooperation with colleagues from the Spanish National Research Council have developed a new type of laser on a purely inorganic basis. A compound of boron and hydrogen from a solution emits a blue light and can become the basis of new modern lasers, which would be more ecologically friendly and more economical. The scientists used a borane for the first time in history to acquire laser light. The research results were published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.
XLVth Session of the Academy Assembly of the CAS
16 Dec 2014
Discussion of the new strategy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
At the National House of Vinohrady in Prague, the Academy Assembly of the CAS met on Tuesday 16 December 2014. The main theme of the XLVth session was the new Strategy AV21 of the Czech Academy of Sciences, on which the President of the CAS Prof. Jiří Drahoš informed them along with the Report on the Activities of the Academy Council of the CAS for the period since the last assembly. In connection with the new strategy of the CAS, the delegates were also familiarized with the new logo of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Representatives of the ESF discussed the evaluation of research at the CAS
20 Nov 2014
The issue of the evaluation of research was the main topic of a discussion meeting of the representatives of the Academic Council of the CAS with two directors of the European Science Foundation (ESF) – with Chief Executive of the ESF Martin Hynes, MBA, and with the Head of Evaluation Services Dr. Siobhan Phillips. The meeting took place on Wednesday, 19 November 2014 at the headquarters of the Academy of Sciences in Prague and was attended also by the President of the CAS Prof. Jiří Drahoš.
Ferromagnetic-semiconductor devices
31 Oct 2014
Researchers from the Institute of Physics CAS contributed to a review of a prominent field of modern physics
Over the past two decades, the research of ferromagnetic semiconductors, with (Ga,Mn)As as a prime example, has led to a deeper understanding of relativistic spin-dependent phenomena in magnetic systems. It has also led to discoveries of new effects and demonstrations of unprecedented functionalities in experimental micro-electronic and opto-electronic devices.
New ERC project in the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences
22 Sep 2014
Joerg Wunderlich from the Department of Spintronics and Nanoelectronics of the Institute of Physics CAS, with his colleagues from the UK and Germany, was awarded the prestigious ERC Synergy Grant for the project “Spin-charge conversion and spin caloritronics at hybrid organic-inorganic interfaces”. The project has started in August 2014 and will run till July 2020. Besides the Institute of Physics, the other participating organizations are the University of Cambridge, Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory, Imperial College in London, and the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz.
World premiere performance of the original version of Dvořák’s opera Alfred
16 Sep 2014
An extraordinary cultural event was held on 17th September 2014 as part of the music festival Dvořák’s Prague: The world premiere performance of Dvořák’s first opera, Alfred, was performed in the original version with German text. Despite the fact that Antonín Dvořák is one of the most well-known composers worldwide, many of his compositions are rarely performed. In case of this realisation of Alfred, more than dramaturgical decisions were required. Musicians, producers, and also musicologists have taken part in this ambitious project.
Unique interactive exhibition “60 Years of CERN” at the CAS
2 Sep 2014
The largest international research centre for particle physics, which operates the largest accelerator in the world, the LHC – is celebrating the 60th year since its foundation this year in September. Its official name is the “European Organization for Nuclear Research”, but it came into the awareness of the public rather under the acronym CERN (from French Conseil Européen pour la recherche nucléaire). The noteworthy interactive exhibition, is open to the public at no charge at the headquarters of the CAS from 2nd to 25th September 2014, on working days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Prehistory of Bohemia in 7 volumes has been released
1 Sep 2014
Archaeological find of a church at Vyšehrad
20 Aug 2014
In July 2014, research of the Institute of Archaeology in Prague continued in the areas of the Basilica of St Lawrence at Vyšehrad. The research that has provided very interesting information in the area of early medieval sacral architecture was financially supported by the Magistrate of the Capital City of Prague, the royal collegiate chapter at Vyšehrad, Institute of Archaeology of the CAS in Prague, v. v. i., and the Prague Archaeological Fund. The systematic research of the Institute of Archaeology in Prague, which has been devoted to Vyšehrad in Prague for several decades now, continued this year.