angielski

For five decades now, Stephen King has been popular among his Constant Readers around the world. Most of us have probably held at least one novel by the modern master of horror or watched a film adaptation of one of his works. Is it possible that one of the most prolific and widely read writers in the world still holds secrets from us? During the meeting, we will look at the author's literary profile, talk about lesser-known works and learn a handful of interesting facts from the author's life in order to dispel myths concerning this cult and legendary creator.

Introduction to Symmetry: Explain natural symmetry (e.g., butterflies, snowflakes). Use mirrors and paper cut-outs to show symmetrical patterns. 
Symmetry in Everyday Objects: Show how objects like equilateral triangles, squares, and circles have rotational symmetries.
Group Operations: Introduce the concept of performing operations on objects, like rotating or flipping shapes.
Applications of Group Theory: Use puzzles and games, such as Rubik's Cube or tiling patterns, to show how group theory applies.
Interactive Activity: Have kids create and identify symmetrical patterns or explore symmetry using hands-on materials.

Electrochemical hydrogen converters are of high interest as key drivers on the path towards the net-zero emission targets. However, there is no technology that cannot be improved further and fuel cells and electrolysers are no exception. In addition, with the scale up and the connected increased understanding of the technologies in practice, new questions arise, waiting to be answered by research.

In her talk on the topic “Hydrogen technologies – status, research and outlook”, Prof. Merit Bodner will elaborate on the status of electrochemical hydrogen technologies, what she and her team at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology at Graz University of Technology in Austria are working on and what the future may bring for the technologies.

Caenorhabditis elegans is a small (up to 1 mm in length), non-parasitic nematode living in soil. Several features of this nematode have contributed to its status as one of the most popular model organisms. The transparent body of C. elegans significantly facilitates microscopic observation of all its 959 somatic cells. One-third of all the nematode's cells are neurons. It is the only organism so far with a complete map of neural connections. The nematode's life cycle is very fast—development from egg to adult takes about 72 hours. Over the next 3 days, a single individual can lay up to 400 eggs, which greatly simplifies the process of obtaining large populations for research purposes. C. elegans was the first multicellular organism to have its entire DNA nucleotide sequence read. The nematode genome contains many genes that have counterparts in humans. Because mutations in many of these genes result in the development of serious diseases in humans, the nematode is used as a model for many diseases.

The meeting will consist of a lecture and a practical part. Participants will be introduced to basic information about nematodes: their structure, life cycle, and physiology. An overview of the main scientific discoveries made using nematodes and the most interesting directions for future research will be presented. During the practical session, participants will learn basic techniques for working with nematodes, conduct observations using fluorescence microscopy, become familiar with the basics of classical (Mendelian) genetics, and learn the genotyping method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The participants will engage in an intensive session of exploring and qualifying American superhero comic books, which have been long considered as child entertainment. While experiencing the literary status of the superhero genre through a brief set of exemplary titles such as Batman, Superman, and X-Men, the audience will form a collective analysis and critique of the superhero narrative. Following an introductory mini-lecture and a poll on their favorite superhero on the material, the participants will then answer rhetorical questions on why superhero comics can mean more than colorful costumes and superior physical strength. After the Q&A session, the participants will be assigned a superhero comic book material to work within small groups and share their findings with the rest of the audience.

In physics, we have many different branches. For example, the theory of elasticity, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and general relativity are all constructed on different mathematical and physical frameworks. They apply to different scales and they refer to different mechanisms that explain our physical world. In this talk, I will refer to a concept which applies to all of the aforementioned branches of physics. This common property is called “reciprocity”. Loosely speaking, it refers to the fact that the measurement outcome of a system does not change when the input and the output variables are exchanged. Although it might seem trivial at a first glance, this property signals an important feature of linear systems. Being a relativist, I will mostly focus on the reciprocity theorem of distances in the context of cosmology. We will explore what this means for the current data analysis for observations on the sky.

Did the Victorians laugh at their Queen? And did Queen Victoria have a sense of humor? The talk will concern the satirical representations of the stereotypically “unamused” monarch in the 19th century and in later times.

Have you ever wondered what happens in your brain as you learn? How is it that we remember some things and some things we don't? If you want to find out what memory is this lesson is for you! Together we will learn about the mechanisms of its functioning. We will explore what structures in the brain are particularly important for memory, what exercises develop them and keep them in good shape. We will also look at the phenomenon of synaptic plasticity and find out what type of learning is most beneficial for you. The lesson is dedicated to high school students.

You often hear that with the global warming, the glaciers are melting. But have you wondered what the glaciers are and how are they formed? Did you know that there are several types of glaciers and they do grow larger and become shorter from time to time? And that the glaciers shape and form many different types of landforms on the Earth. Join us in this lecture to learn all about it! 

Lecturer: Dhruv Maniktala - a PhD student working on sea-ice interaction and glacier calving in the arctic region. Marine and polar research group at the Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences.

During the course of this interactive lesson, the students will be presented copies of different objects from ancient Egypt with which they will be able to interact. The copies of papyri, of tomb inscriptions and more awaits discovery!

The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the concepts of ‘talking objects’ from ancient Egypt, that is the idea that all archaeological finds ‘speak for themselves’ if one lets them. The notion of how they could possibly ‘speak’ to ancient Egyptians will also be demonstrated through explaining the ancient settings of the objects. Students will also be encouraged to develop their own ideas about the use and context of the objects.

The lesson will provide a great opportunity for students to gain a short introduction to cultural concepts very different from theirs and also to how modern scholars and people can approach these ancient ideas.

The language of the lesson is English.

Science fiction is an exhilarating genre that explores the boundaries of what is possible, blending futuristic visions with reflections on our present world. It is a realm where
imaginative narratives dive into advanced technologies, societal transformations, and ethical dilemmas. Visionaries like Tom Lombardo see it as a guide to the future, preparing
us for incredible changes ahead. In contrast, Ursula K. Le Guin believes sci-fi's true power lies in its ability to mirror our current reality, using fantastical stories to shed light on
today's issues. Together, these perspectives show that science fiction is not just about distant worlds and future tech but about understanding our human experience and societal
evolution. It is a genre that invites readers to think deeply, dream big, and see the world in new and exciting ways.

Makbet Williama Szekspira jest jedną z najsłynniejszych tragedii angielskiego dramatopisarza, regularnie przenoszoną w różnej formie na ekrany kin i telewizji. Jest też doskonałym przykładem tego, jak wielorakie artystyczne wizje autorów szekspirowskich adaptacji oraz ich interpretacje wydarzeń i postaci przedstawionych w oryginalnych sztukach pozwalają rozszerzyć przekaz każdej z nich o dodatkowe wątki, elementy i konteksty, trafiając tym samym do kolejnych pokoleń odbiorców. Podczas wykładu uczestnicy będą mogli zapoznać się ze sposobami tworzenia adaptacji dzieł scenicznych na potrzeby innego medium, jak np. filmu, telewizji czy animacji oraz w jaki sposób i w jakim celu dana wizja reżysera modyfikuje lub odwraca znaczenia obecne w oryginalnym tekście sztuki. Na przykładach analizowanych adaptacji szekspirowskich uczestnicy poznają techniki i rozwiązania stosowane przez twórców w trakcie dostosowywania dzieła scenicznego do nowej formy przekazu oraz wprowadzania ich własnej wizji i interpretacji oryginalnego tekstu. Przybliżone będą też wybrane konwencje i techniki adaptacyjne, np. transpozycja czy amplifikacja, formy ich zastosowania oraz efekty interpretacyjne. Przedstawione będą też konsekwencje takich ingerencji, zarówno pozytywnie jak i negatywnie wpływające na oryginalny przekaz dzieła.

This workshop is specifically designed for high school students aged 15-19 who are preparing to enter university and make critical decisions about their careers. In this dynamic session, participants will explore the crucial role of lifelong learning in adapting to an ever-changing job market and discover how to strategically plan their educational and career paths to align with emerging opportunities. This session aims to illuminate the importance of continuous learning as a fundamental element in navigating the rapidly changing career landscape and to provide practical strategies for making informed educational and career choices

Earlier this year (2024) the European Union adopted a directive on Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence, which will have a huge impact on how Polish companies will conduct their business. Both, inside Poland and throughout their global value chains. Since human and labour rights are part of corporate sustainability, the directive will also impact workplace and employment relationships. The aim of the movie-debate night is to explore these impacts, share our academic thoughts on this, and to learn from experiences in practice from the audience. As such the movie- debate night promises to be interesting for us, academics as well as the (non- academic) audience.

The evening starts with a short introduction on corporate sustainability and what this means for our daily work practices. This is followed by watching a film related to the topic, which sets the ground for a discussion with the audience. The discussion will include polls to get an overall idea of the opinion of all the participants. 
Planned film: Complicit

Our Universe is a factory of mysterious and sometimes inexplicable phenomena. Since the dawn of human kind, astronomers have wondered about the nature of the cosmos, first looking at close and bright planets and comets in our solar neighborhood, up to the faintest and more distant galaxies at the beginning of time.
In the last century, we experienced a revolution in the study of the Universe thanks to the joint efforts of worldwide organizations which gathered astronomers, engineers, and physicists together to build and develop new tools and techniques for the exploration of the outer space in all its aspects. Starting from Galileo Galilei’s “spyglass”, we designed and built increasingly powerful telescopes to observe not only the visible light emitted by distant stars and galaxies, but also a wide range of frequencies invisible to our eyes, opening a new window on the dark side of the cosmos. Sometimes these instruments are set in very wild environments and extreme conditions, like in the arid and desert lands of Chile, in the coldest and icy region of Antarctica, or even outside the earth’s atmosphere. Astronomers try to put together the different pieces of information from each of these telescopes, with the common aim of obtaining a comprehensive understanding of how the Universe began and evolved.
We will unveil the secrets of galaxies in the early Universe and show how they grew and died. You will interactively learn how to classify the shape of previously unseen galaxies, and to use the principles of physics to magnify the light emitted from them. You will also have the unique chance to personally meet professional astronomers, asking them questions about their life and work in a friendly and informal environment.  

The role of symmetry in the Universe, our life, and in physics is so versatile that one must deal with a particular area. I address the role of symmetry in the physics of macroscopic phases of matter and their transformations called phase transitions. Bodies with very different molecules often represent the same phase of matter because, actually, a macroscopic phase is determined only by its symmetry.Many fundamental effects of phase transition can be predicted considering the symmetry alone, making the calculations involved very simple. Depending on the symmetry of macroscopic phases, the transformation between them, a phase transition, can be of two different kinds. The second order phase transition occurs in bodies with the so-called polar symmetry. This transition is also described as a spontaneous symmetry breaking of the original phase. The common example of polar order is a magnet with molecules bearing magnetic moments (small magnets). The transition from the isotropic (all molecular magnets are oriented chaotically making no macromagnet) to the polar (ferromagnetic) phase occurs when the temperature decreases to the so-called Curie temperature Tc and the energy prevails over entropy. The very important property of this second order transition is that the two phases, the nonmagnetic and magnetic, cannot coexist, i.e., the body is either magnet (below Tc) or non-magnet (above Tc). The first order phase transition occurs in a body with the non-polar symmetry. The common example is a nematic liquid crystal, which has been used as a working optical element in the cell-phone and computer displays. A nematic liquid crystal consists of elongated molecules. When these molecules are oriented chaotically, the liquid is isotropic (dark when seen in a microscope). As the temperature decreases to certain value TNI, the molecules get oriented along single direction called director; such liquid is an anisotropic nematic liquid crystal (colors appear!).The order is non-polar as both directions along the director are indistinguishable. The benchmark of this transition (which is similar to the water-ice transition) is that the two phases, nematic and isotropic (ice and water) can coexist in some narrow temperature interval. The second and first order transitions are very different, but the whole difference is solely in the symmetry of the phase of matter. Thus, the main effects can be predicted without any calculations because only Her Majesty Symmetry rules them.