Science Fika
What are the ultimate elements that constitute the matter in our universe? What gives origin to shining stars and black holes? How many worlds are there? What are the mechanisms that can deteriorate our health and eventually lead to disease? What are the secret forces that drove simple chemical compounds to form more complex molecules that ultimately created life on Earth? The universe uses humanity to answer these questions. Science is one of the ways the universe uses to interrogate itself. And to pose the final question: why there is something rather than nothing?
A different kind of fika
Come and enjoy some coffee and science!
The Science Fika is a recurring event where we share our passion for science and talk about different topics in easy-to-understand language. At each event a speaker will have a 20 minutes presentation about a scientific concept, to stimulate your curiosity and to show you the beauty of science. We will provide free fika after the presentation, giving you the opportunity to mingle and discuss in a more informal way. So welcome, sit back and enjoy some exciting science!
Lectures will take place in collaboration with Folkuniversitetet and Proteintech in spring 2025
Upcoming Fikas
When Machines Dream in Equations: Will Technology Reshape Science (again)?
Technological revolutions like the microscope and computer have transformed science and scientists’ identities. Today, advanced AI systems are moving beyond assistance, engaging with abstract scientific ideas—and even “dreaming” in equations. In this talk, Eliel Camargo-Molina explores how past innovations reshaped science and what they reveal about today’s AI-driven transformation.
Membranes Fusing: A Short Story of How a Virus Infects a Cell
Membranes are essential for life, creating compartments with unique conditions while allowing controlled interactions. One striking example is how influenza viruses enter cells. This talk explores the fascinating ways membranes function in biological systems and the process behind viral infections.
Not Only Pyramids and Mummies: Researching Dreams and Psychology in Ancient Egypt
When we think of ancient Egypt, we imagine pyramids, treasures, and mummies—but Egyptologists at Uppsala University are uncovering something different: the dreams of ancient Egyptians, recorded by scribes on papyrus bookrolls. This talk explores the psychology of ancient Egypt, revealing surprising aspects of this fascinating civilization.
Past Fikas
Open Research: like usual research, but better
Research may seem to work best to discover knowledge, but there is one effect that makes research not go straight forward: researchers. This is because researchers are human, who also think about human things like career, family, etc. To make research better, there is now Open Research, which takes care of this as well. During this talk, the author, who is the creator of the Open Science Community Uppsala, shows why Open Research is necessary.
The Enigma of Time
What is time? So close to us and yet so distant, so intimate and yet so universal. Humanity has interrogated itself for millennia over the nature of time. After all of this, what have we learned?
Kinship and Marriage Rules – how to avoid inbreeding in Aboriginal Australia
Geneticists have for a number of years claimed that there has only been one wave of immigration to Australia (prior to the British), 50-60,000 years ago. But if that is the case, how have the Aborigines been able to avoid dangerous inbreeding for all that time? The answer lies in their kinship systems, and the marriage rules that are connected to those. But by the way, have they really been able to avoid dangerous inbreeding? What do the latest genetic findings tell us? Those are the questions we will explore in this talk.
Can microtechnology replace animal testing?
Microtechnology has rapidly evolved from large-room computers, to today’s compact and omnipresent smart devices. This same technology is now revolutionizing drug development, offering potential alternatives to animal testing by evaluating the effects and side effects of new medications. Join me as I explain how we use this technology to shape the future of medical and pharmaceutical research.
Lets talk about sexual health baby
Sexual health is a key aspect of our general well-being, offering joy but sometimes presenting difficulties. Sex can evoke many thoughts and emotions. Join us to gain insights into the human body, understand desire, and explore practical aspects… All grounded in scientific research on the topic of course.
Threats of war, scarcity of resources, and climate crisis: perspectives on existential risks for society
Global disaster risks are events that can seriously harm human well-being worldwide. These include threats such as pandemics, super volcanoes, asteroid impacts, climate change, dwindling resources, and technological risks such as AI or nuclear weapons. This presentation aims to increase awareness and understanding of global disaster risks, their scientific basis, and how we can relate to them.
Extreme weather: is it linked to climate change?
The past year has seen several record-breaking extreme weather events. Is this due to climate change? I will provide an overview of how climate scientists are working to link individual extreme weather events to climate change, and discuss how unusual the weather and climate of the past year has actually been.
Dark matter: a window to the dark universe
About 25% of the content of the universe consists of an unknown type of substance we call dark matter. This is known since the 1930’s, but astrophysicists have been unable to discover it so far. What is the evidence for dark matter? How do physicists search for the unknown? The lecture will guide you through one of the most mysterious and exciting fields of research in physics and astrophysics today.
Exoplanet atmospheres: weather reports from alien worlds
Today, astronomers have confirmed the existence of over 5,000 planets in faraway solar systems. These are called exoplanets, for extra-solar planets, meaning distant planets in orbit around stars other than our Sun. But what do we know about these alien worlds? What are their atmospheres like, and can we live there? Tune in for a weather report from your local exoplanet!
Geoenergy, deep geothermal energy and energy storage – unexplored parts of Sweden’s renewable energy mix
This presentation is about an amazing natural resource – heat from the ground and water below our feet. Heat from the earth is divided into geothermal energy (sometimes called shallow geothermal energy, which is solar energy that is passively stored in the upper soil and rock layers and water bodies) and deep geothermal energy (trapped thermal energy from when Earth was formed and heat produced by radioactive decay in the bedrock). The bedrock can also be used for storing heat and cold. Sweden needs to develop these renewable energy resources and the storage capacities to cope with the green transition. I am looking forward to seeing you!