News archive
News older than one year.
Lukáš Krmíček appointed a professor
As of 7th June 2022, the President of the Czech Republic appointed Lukáš Krmíček, a researcher at the Institute of Geology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, at the age of 40, a full professor. In his scientific activities, Prof. Krmíček focuses on combined research of mineralogical, geochemical and physical-mechanical properties of igneous rocks. In addition to research activities, Prof. Krmíček also devotes himself to science-promotion activities. This year, Academia published his popular-science publication on volcanoes and volcanic processes.
Otto Wichterle Award to honour Lukáš Laibl
This year, Lukáš Laibl of the Institute of Geology ranked among the twenty-five laureates of the Otto Wichterle Award (see here for details). Lukáš obtained this prestigious award for young and promising scientists of the Academy of Sciences in acknowledgment of his research of Paleozoic arthropods. He received the Award from the President of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Eva Zažímalová during a ceremony in the Villa Lanna on June 20th. For information on this yearʼs laureates of the Otto Wichterle Award click here.
Prize for a book
The Main Miroslav Ivanov Prize was awarded to the popular-scientific book The Heart of Bohemian Karst – Srbsko Village and the Surrounding Landscape (published by Dokořán Publ. in 2021) at the International Book Fair “Svět knihy” in Prague on 9–12 June 2022. This prize for non-fiction books is awarded by the Club of Non-fiction Authors and the town of Jaroměř–Josefov (the birthplace of M. Ivanov). The book was contributed by authors from the Institute of Geology CAS Karel Žák, Václav Cílek, Stanislav Čermák and Jan Wagner. The Institute was also the place where the book was editorially completed and made ready for layout by K. Žák, V. Cílek with a contribution by photographer M. Majer. Congratulations!
Dean's Award for the best PhD students
On 8th June 2022, Simona Krmíčková, a PhD student employed with the Department of Geological Processes of the Institute of Geology, received the Dean's Award of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University in Brno for the best students of doctoral study programmes. The award was given for excellent study results and significant involvement in scientific research. Simona Krmíčková focuses mainly on the radiogenic isotope study of igneous rocks. She regularly publishes the results of her research in impacted journals and presents them at international conferences. For additional information, click here.
Vlhošť Hill: the landmark of northern Bohemia covered by a new book
Czech landscape features many hills whose complex geological history is reflected in equally varied geomorphology. The Dokořán publishing house now released a publication devoted to the volcanic hill of Vlhošť, surrounded by a labyrinth of sandstone cliffs. The book was authored by Jiří Adamovič and Václav Cílek of the Institute of Geology in collaboration with Kamil Podroužek of the university of Ústí nad Labem.
Amber Road
After a decennial collaboration, a voluminous monograph was published on the Amber Road, which once connected the Adriatic Sea with the Baltic Sea in a north–south direction. The route starts in the Polish Lowlands of the lower Vistula River, where amber artefacts were produced in vast manufactures. Although the book describes the whole course of the route, it concentrates on the important area between Vienna, the Pavlovské vrchy Mts., the Brno area and central Moravia. This is where the authors (P. Bolina, J. Martínek, V. Cílek and P. Šlézar) mapped the remains of old trails and wagon ruts connecting prehistoric dwellings, medieval castles and monasteries using LIDAR within two extensive research projects. The book, published by Academia, contains over 500 figures, of which around 350 are maps showing the courses of the trails.
Science Fair 2022
Institute of Geology took an active part in the Science Fair, which was held at the PVA EXPO Fairgrounds in Prague-Letňany in the first days of June. The fair presented over 100 expositions of most Institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences and many other institutions and companies. Much like in previous years, the stand of the Institute of Geology attracted by the display of fossils and minerals but also by thematic posters presenting the Institute activities. Very successful was the observation of fossils with a microscope and geological quizzes: the successful responders could take away a mineral of their choice. The quizzes were attended, individually or in groups, by over 350 visitors of various ages. The stand was visited by about 2000 people! It became attractive for professional photographers, too. Therefore, seven photos of the stand were included in the official gallery of the Fair.
Hyperaccumulation of elements in mushrooms
Thelephora mushrooms are important mycorrhizal partners of woody plants. An international team led by Jan Borovička of the Institute of Geology investigated trace element concentrations in their fruit bodies. In Thelephora penicillata, extremely high concentrations of toxic elements were found, especially cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). Among other analysed species, surprising results were obtained for T. palmata with elevated contents of sulphur and T. vialis with extremely high concentrations of selenium.
Research Reports in a new outfit
The annual report of the Institute of Geology was published lately – in a completely new, modern graphic layout. Research Reports bring a review of the most important information and research outputs of the Institute connected with the year 2020. To access this volume, click here.
Larch – an archive of mercury concentrations
A paper by scientists of the Department of Environmental Geology and Geochemistry was published in the prestigious journal Environmental Pollution. The study of tree rings in European Larch determined the evolution of mercury (Hg) emissions from a local source. Larch is a living recorder of Hg concentrations in the air. In this case, the emission source was the oldest chemical plant in the German town of Marktredwitz, which was producing Hg-based fungicides. Its environs were contaminated during the centennial operation of the plant. Mercury then started to spread to the Czech Republic through streams, inducing contamination of sediments in the Skalka Reservoir in the Cheb area. The record in larch rings suggests that the highest Hg emissions occurred in the first decades of the 20th century, when the plant was the World's key producer. The present Hg concentrations in the air are very low due to the extensive remediation of the whole plant area.
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