Listen to science. Science Night 2026 will be all about communication
How do plants ‘talk’ to one another, what can fire tell us, how do machines pass on instructions to one another, or how do organisms in nature communicate with one another? Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem will once again take part in the nationwide Science Night on Friday 25 September 2026. This year’s theme, COMMUNICATION, will bring together the natural sciences, technology, healthcare and everyday life. The main programme at the UJEP Campus will begin at 5.00 pm, and admission to all activities is free.
Communication is by no means limited to conversations between people. Living organisms, cells, machines and computers all pass on information, and even the work of healthcare professionals cannot do without the proper transmission of information. It is precisely these diverse forms of communication that this year’s Science Night at UJEP will showcase through experiments, guided demonstrations, workshops, games and lectures.
One of the highlights of the programme will be the experimental show ‘Fire as a Form of Communication’. Since time immemorial, fire has not only kept people warm and protected them, but has also served to convey messages over long distances. Through spectacular experiments, visitors will discover just how much the ‘language of fire’ can reveal to us. The show will take place at the CPTO at 5.30 pm, 6.45 pm and 8.15 pm.
The technological aspect of this year’s theme will be illustrated, for example, by a demonstration entitled ‘How do machines pass on instructions?’. Visitors will follow the journey from a 3D model through G-code to the finished product and discover how the computer, the printer and its individual drives communicate with one another during 3D printing.
Those who enjoy mysteries and experimentation will also be able to create a message that isn’t visible at first glance. Their own invisible ink and secret message will show visitors that information can be hidden even where we would least expect it, and only reappear once warmed.
Chemistry, too, can communicate; you just need to learn to understand its signals. On the interactive trail ‘When Chemistry Speaks’, visitors will be able to explore in the laboratories what it means when a chemical reaction changes colour, starts to bubble, gives off a smell or causes a change in temperature. Through simple experiments, they will discover for themselves the many different ways in which chemistry can convey information to us.
Science Night at UJEP will once again begin before the main evening programme opens. Specifically for schools, the popular programme ‘Communication in Nature Takes Many Forms’ will take place from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm at the Centre for Biological and Environmental Sciences on the Za Válcovnou campus. Pupils will discover how plants pass on information, what ‘mucus’ ‘says’ to other organisms, and how animals communicate with one another. The programme will include themed stations run by the Department of Biology at UJEP’s Faculty of Science, as well as a programme organised by Ústí nad Labem Zoo.
From 5.00 pm, the main events will move to the university campus. Visitors can look forward to further experiments, workshops, competitions, guided demonstrations and the chance to meet face-to-face with the people who dedicate themselves to science and research at UJEP on a daily basis. The programme caters for young children, schoolchildren, students, adults and senior citizens, and most of the activities will not only be on display but also, but also to try them out for themselves.
There will also be plenty going on at the UJEP amphitheatre, which will be transformed into an open-air lecture venue during Science Night. Visitors will be able to watch dynamic demonstrations and presentations using audiovisual technology, bringing science from the laboratories straight to the heart of the campus.
Another outdoor event, taking place right on the university square, will be the UJEP ambulance: ‘When Communication Saves Lives’. The open-air programme in the centre of the university campus will also feature a music stage and a DJ set by Dmitry Ostretsov.
This year’s nationwide Science Night takes place on Friday 25 September 2026, and its overarching theme is COMMUNICATION. From the communication of plants and animals, through signals in the human body, to technology, it demonstrates that the transmission of information is one of the fundamental principles of the world around us.
The programme at CBEO Za Válcovnou will take place from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. The main programme at the UJEP Campus starts at 5.00 pm.
Admission is free.