From the language of plants and animals and the signals hidden within our bodies to communication between robots and a racing car. Science is the language through which the universe speaks to us, and the Night of Science is an opportunity to explore the mysteries of that language and try to understand it. The popular science event will take place on Friday, 25 September 2026, at numerous locations across the Czech Republic, this year under the central theme of COMMUNICATION. The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague will welcome visitors to its campus from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., offering more than forty interactive stations across all six faculties.
After twenty years, the traditional science event is changing its Czech name from Noc vědců (“Researchers’ Night”) to Noc vědy (“Night of Science”). Its essence, however, remains the same: to open up science to the public and present it in an accessible, interactive and entertaining way. The programme at CZU will offer dozens of opportunities to discover the many different ways in which people, animals, plants, technologies and entire ecosystems communicate with one another. This playful exploration of the laws of nature is a magnet for curious minds. Parents with children will particularly appreciate it, as they will not have to answer the endless question “Why?” – our scientists will do it for them.
An important communication hub will be the information stand in the centre of the campus. Each visitor will receive a wristband and programme there and will also be able to purchase refreshments or CZU souvenirs. It will also serve as the finishing point of a game for children. By completing tasks at the individual faculties, children will collect stamps and, once they have filled in their game card, they can return to the information stand to claim a reward. Communication can be interpreted in countless ways, and each CZU faculty has approached this year’s theme from its own perspective. Visitors to the Night of Science can therefore look forward to plenty of unexpected discoveries.
At the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, visitors can explore the world of telemetry and discover what information wild animals “send” to researchers. They will also see how insects communicate using pheromones, how beetles can reveal the environmental conditions, and how thermal cameras and other sensors can detect stress in trees before it becomes visible to the naked eye. Visitors will also discover that wood itself has a story to tell during a tour of Lesovna, an innovative timber building combining the traditions of forestry with cutting-edge architecture and sustainable technologies.
The Faculty of Economics and Management will take communication into the world of games. Through digital games, visitors will experience transmitting messages in a noisy environment, decoding Morse code and exploring how interconnected systems work. There will also be a pub quiz, a photo booth and activities for children.
At the Food Pavilion of the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, visitors will discover what body composition can reveal about us, how smells and tastes communicate with the brain, and how to correctly interpret information on food packaging. Those interested will be introduced to edible insects and will have the opportunity to try a sensory evaluation of food. They can taste products made directly in the pavilion and learn more about healthy nutrition from experts. They can also discover that soil communicates with its surroundings through water, air, organisms, plants and chemical substances – and even through its colour.
Visitors will discover that materials, especially modern materials designed for a sustainable future, can also “talk” to one another at the Faculty of Engineering, where the focus will be on communication between machines and technologies. A robotic arm will use sensors to assess an apple´s quality, visitors will be able to try a welding simulator, and they will learn how the CULS Formula student racing car “communicates” through electronics and data.
Scientists at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences will demonstrate how light pollution disrupts insect communication, how cities respond to rainfall, heat, and drought, and what birds “say” to one another. Using augmented reality, visitors will also be able to design their own city. Playfully and intuitively, they will experience how modern technologies can help us communicate ideas about urban environments more effectively, share them with others and search for solutions together.
The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences will introduce visitors to the secret language of plants – their colours, scents and chemical signals. Visitors will learn how to read the body language of donkeys, identify animals by their voices, take a look inside a plant tissue culture laboratory, and discover how microorganisms working inside a bioreactor transmit their own “messages”.
The Night of Science at CZU is open to curious minds of all ages. Come along on Friday, 25 September, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and discover that the world around us communicates far more than we might imagine.