BUT showed the magic of chemistry and the power of supercomputers at the Pop Science festival

Brno’s VIDA! science center turned into a hub of scientific experiences over the weekend. The Pop Science Festival offered visitors hundreds of experiments, interactive performances, and programs for schools and families with children over three days. Experts from the Brno University of Technology also took part in the event, bringing science closer to all generations through entertaining science shows.

BUT presented itself at Pop Science. | Author: Václav Koníček

Scientists and researchers from the fields of chemistry, informatics, and laboratory medicine presented a range of engaging activities at the weekend festival. Researchers from CEITEC BUT introduced hydrogels and their use in medicine. “You can imagine a hydrogel as a mixture connected by polymer chains. Its big advantage is that it absorbs water and swells. That’s why it’s mainly used in medicine, cosmetics, or the food industry, for example, in the popular bubble tea,” explained scientist Gabriela Konečná.

“Now we’re going to make magnetic slime,” the researchers commented as they demonstrated the creation of different types of slime to illustrate how hydrogels work and what they are used for. Besides the slime experiments, the science show also included a quiz. “What did you remember from what I just said?” asked the representatives from the research center as they tested the audience’s attention.

Production of magnetic slime. | Author: Václav Koníček

And slime wasn’t only part of the captivating science show. Throughout the entire weekend, festival visitors could also join a workshop with university chemists where they made their own slime to take home as a small souvenir.

Volcanoes, snakes, or a genie in a bottle. All this and more were demonstrated by experts from the Faculty of Chemistry BUT during their popular Chemical Show. “What you smell here is sulfur dioxide,” described chemist Tomáš Opravil during one of the experiments. Together with his colleague, he demonstrated both experiments visitors could try at home and those requiring expert supervision. “Now we’ll show you how to make a mirror, but it’s a bit toxic because we have to use real silver,” they warned the children who watched in fascination.

The final part of the Brno University of Technology’s program didn’t include slime or experiments, but it still stayed within the field of chemistry and medicine. A popular science lecture by Professor Jaroš from the Faculty of Information Technology at BUT revealed how supercomputers work and why they are used in brain surgeries. “We’re trying to perform neurostimulation without opening the skull – doing everything through computers. One of the new scalpel-free surgical methods uses ultrasound,” Jaroš explained.

For such procedures to be safe and effective, doctors must know exactly where and how to target the ultrasound. “The goal of working with supercomputers is to calculate and simulate, based on patient data, exactly what the surgery should look like,” he added.

Supercomputers attracted many visitors. | Author: Václav Koníček

According to BUT event coordinator Lenka Svobodová, the main goal of the festival is to show that science is neither distant nor incomprehensible. “Pop Science demonstrates that science is a dynamic and fascinating field that brings new discoveries while also being fun. When children laugh at a bubbling volcano or ask how a supercomputer can assist in brain surgery, we know we’re succeeding in awakening their curiosity for knowledge,” Svobodová concluded.