Czech Head Chosen from More than One Hundred Nominees: A total of fourteen awards aimed at popularising Czech science were announced in
the competition finals. Eight participants out of Czech’s most eminent scientists were awarded the title
"Czech Head / Česká hlava"; others were awarded the University
Student Award or the General Health Insurance Company Award. The quantum chemist, Prof. Pavel Hobza (Institute of Orhganic Chemistry and Biochemistry
AS CR), has become the laureate of the National Government Award.
Prof. Pavel Hobza is one of the most often cited Czech scientists and has earned such respect and recognition principally for his discovery of the
hydrogen pseudobond, a discovery that caused the rewriting of many chemistry books. Paradoxically he found out about this discovery by coincidence
and for a long time other scientists, including foreign ones, remained sceptical of his research.
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