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!
Upcoming Fikas
There are no upcoming events.
Past Fikas
Move your body: the superpowers of physical activity!
You already know that physical activity is good for your health. Let’s talk about the latest scientific evidence of its effectiveness in improving the functioning of your body. What exercise prescription is optimal to have the most benefit? How to optimize the time? How exercise can influence what we eat? More and more questions to debate together.
Values in science: biased or responsible science?
Values can contribute to a more socially responsible science, but they can also threaten its integrity. Should they influence science, and if so how? I will clarify these questions and present some answers, illustrated by concrete examples. Then I will ask you what you think!
Extreme Astrophysics: the IceCube neutrino telescope at the South Pole
IceCube is the weirdest telescope of all. Buried 2.5 km below the Antarctic ice, it continuously monitors the sky in search of neutrinos, ghostly particles that hardly interact but that can reveal the inner workings of the most violent objects in the Universe: Supernova explosions, supermassive black holes or bursts of gamma rays. The talk will guide you through why do we need neutrino telescopes, how they work and recent discoveries of IceCube.
The reward system – a great servant, but a bad master!
How does the reward system work and how does it benefit us? What do love, Instagram and heroin have in common? Welcome to a lecture where we explore some of the brain’s coolest structures. You are guaranteed a reward in the form of new knowledge and fika.
Open Science and scientists being humans
Fish and humans, more alike than most realize
Zebrafish are increasingly used as model animals in biomedical research and there are zebrafish models for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, etc. How is this possible? How alike are we and these fishes? I will also tell you a little about why I became a researcher and why I have always studied the behavior of fish.
Honest research
Science offers us amazing opportunities, provided it is conducted in the right way. Learn about what can make research go wrong, how to counteract it, and how statistics come into play.
The brains gateway
Between the blood vessels of the body and the brain there is a barrier that protects our brain from infections, but it can also prevent drugs from entering. Come and learn more about how the blood-brain barrier sorts what gets into the brain, and what gets left out.
What food for a healthy brain?
How does the food we eat determine how well our brain functions ? Learn more about the effects of nutrients and diets on our brains and what types of food to choose for aging with a healthy brain.