Science excursions for schools in English (Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences)

As part of the Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences at IOCB, we are offering guided excursions of our scientific labs for school classes (for students aged 13+) in English.

School groups are invited to visit our laboratories on Friday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

See the list of available excursions and register your class below.

If you are interested in our school program conducted in Czech, please go here.

See our English program for the Week of the Czech Academy of Sciences at IOCB Prague here and the complete program in Czech here.

Excursions are intended for students from the 8th grade of elementary school and the 3rd grade of 8-year high schools.

For safety and practical reasons, each group is limited to 13 people, including a teacher. If you plan to come with a larger group of students, please divide them into smaller groups and book a separate program for each. The groups can then rotate to ensure everyone experiences the same presentation.

• You can book the program for your class here.

Take a look through our microscopes and uncover a whole universe hiding in plain sight. Watch tiny living organisms zip and wiggle through a single drop of water. Then explore our fixed samples to reveal their astonishing microscopic patterns. Discover the hidden structures that shape the world around us – from the delicate, overlapping scales that create shimmering colors to the strange, bristly textures on a minuscule limb. It’s your chance to glimpse the extraordinary details you’d never normally notice. Come and see for yourself!

Fluorescence is the ability of molecules to emit colored light. This phenomenon often accompanies scientists in their first steps toward developing new drugs, which often target enzymes – molecular machines that catalyze chemical reactions in living organisms. In our laboratory, you can see how we use fluorescence to purify enzymes and test potential drugs.

Why are some chili peppers spicier (hotter) than others? Why do chilis burn when you eat them? Learn about the science of chili peppers and how they are ranked based on their spiciness. One bit of advice: Don’t drink the water!

We study the enzymes that parasites need to digest human blood. For example, we’re investigating European ticks, which transmit Lyme disease and encephalitis, as well as tropical blood worms, which cause schistosomiasis in 200 million people. Our goal is to understand how these crucial enzymes work and to develop effective molecules that block their function and can be used as antiparasitic drugs.

Diamonds are forever – and in their nanometer form, they’re extraordinarily useful. No longer just for decoration or jewelry, nanodiamonds – thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair – transform from ordinary black powder into intelligent tools for modern medicine and diagnostics. They can measure temperature directly inside cells, monitor biological processes, and contribute to the early detection of cancer. The combination of nanotechnology and medicine opens up new possibilities for understanding the human body and developing more precise diagnostic methods. Welcome to a world where the sparkle of a diamond becomes a scientific instrument.

When we think of magnetic resonance, we might picture the equipment doctors use to image the human body. But this same technique is used by chemists to reveal the structure of unknown substances, showing how atoms are linked and arranged. In our Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) lab, we’ll explain how the magnetic properties of nuclei and electrons help us investigate molecular structures. You’ll also see the powerful superconducting magnet we use, which has a magnetic field 100,000 times stronger than the Earth's We will explain how molecules communicate with us using their magnetic field and what they reveal about their structure.

Say steroids and you probably picture gym bros chasing six-packs. Doctors, on the other hand, think of medicines that fight inflammation. But here’s the plot twist: steroids are actually your body’s own “super apps,” running quietly in the background and shaping almost everything you do. They’ve been there from the very beginning – when your parents met, when you were born, when you hit your growth spurt – and they’ll still be around when you’re old and wise. Steroids don’t just influence your body; they hack your brain, your mood, and even your vibe.

Right now, science is learning how to use these “fast-acting brain hacks” to treat depression, epilepsy, autism, and Down syndrome. In this talk, you’ll see why steroids are far more than a fitness cliché – they’re one of biology’s most underrated superpowers.

What if you could control molecules with just a flash of light? In our laboratory, we create tiny molecular machines that change color and shape when illuminated, exploring how they might one day be used in smart materials, targeted medicine, or even molecular electronics. Come discover how light can bring the invisible world of molecules to life!

Ever wonder how fireworks get their colors? Want to see argon plasma hotter than the surface of the Sun? Curious to verify if your ring is really gold? In our lab, we use plasma and light to determine the elemental composition of samples. After exciting the sample with X-rays or heat, it emits characteristic radiation, which tells us about the presence and quantity of each element. Come take a look and delve into the mysteries of analytical chemistry!

What is a virus, and how do scientists safely work with dangerous ones? We’ll present some of the most interesting viruses and discuss the precautions labs take to protect personnel when handling hazardous pathogens. We’ll also explore how new drugs are developed and ask: Is the virus always the enemy?

“Hey ChatGPT, who invented the word robot?”

“The word robot was invented by Karel Čapek.”

“But wait – I thought it was Josef Čapek!”

So why does ChatGPT make mistakes? Why does it hallucinate?