News from FZU

On Friday, September 15, 2025, the national round of the prestigious Falling Walls Lab Czech Republic competition took place at the National Technical Library in Prague. Scientist Tereza Roesel from the Division of Optics of the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences achieved significant success when awarded second place by the expert jury with her project Breaking the Wall of Single-Molecule Detection and, together with Veronika Šedajová from Palacký University, she also won the audience award.

A recent study published in Advanced Science unveils a groundbreaking approach to designing responsive materials by manipulating atomic vibrations. The research, led by M. Tyunina, brings together a collaborative team from the Institute of Physics in Prague, the Institute of Solid State Physics in Riga, the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, and the University of Oulu in Finland. Though informally organized, the team shares a deep commitment to exploring the fundamental principles of condensed matter physics.

In September, the installation of mirrors on three large telescopes (Large-Sized Telescope – LST) was completed on the Canary Island of La Palma. These telescopes will become part of the future Cherenkov Telescope Array observatory. Their optical system is the responsibility of the scientists from the Joint Laboratory of Optics of the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Palacký University in Olomouc. This step represents a major milestone on the road to putting the telescopes into full operation.  It will enable the observation of the most energetic processes in the universe – from supernova explosions to gamma-ray bursts and the search for traces of dark matter.

It is with deep sadness that we announce that on Saturday, August 23rd, our friend and colleague, physicist Dr. Karel Výborný, suddenly and tragically passed away. Karel died in an accident in the mountains he loved. He was 47 years old and is survived by his wife and two children.

Two Cherenkov telescopes help us understand extreme cosmic phenomena through very high-energy gamma rays; they are currently the most sensitive devices of their kind in the world. The prototypes, which were developed by an international team involving Czech scientists, are now in Ondřejov. This is an exceptional opportunity for Czech astrophysicists, as the telescopes may be moved abroad in the future.   

Thomas Gouder’s life's work at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in Karlsruhe (JRC) is a state-of-the-art modular system for surface science. The instrument, used for cutting-edge research on nuclear fuel safety, corrosion, catalysis, and actinide chemistry, has served scientists from all over Europe, including teams from Prague. How does it work, why is it being moved to Prague, and what lies ahead for its future?

We invite you to the traditional HR Coffee & Talk meeting at Cukrovarnická.

We invite you to the traditional HR Coffee & Talk meeting at Slovanka.

Will Barker is part of a new generation of theoretical physicists reshaping how we think about gravity, black holes, and the fundamental structure of the universe. His recent research explores the strange frontier where Einstein’s general relativity may no longer hold — a region populated not by traditional black holes, but by their uncanny cousins: black hole mimickers. Since joining the Physics for Future fellowship in Prague, Barker’s work has taken on a broader scope. In this interview, he reflects on the role of uncertainty in physics, how cosmology can test bold new ideas, and why running to work through the hills of Prague has become part of his scientific routine.