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

Sep 17, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Sara Lopes van den Broek
Language: English
Pierre_and_Marie_Curie

Radioactivity in Action: A Guided Tour of Radiotracer Development

Join us for a crash course in radioactivity and its role in modern medical diagnostics. Ever wondered how radiation is produced and how employees handle high amounts of radioactivity? How is invisible radiation converted into visible images of the body? Learn about the development of “radiotracers” that are administered to patients to produce detailed internal images.

Jun 3, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Manon Dubol
Language: English
manon

Sex differences in the brain

Who hasn’t already wondered whether, or how much, our biological sex (i.e. our sex chromosomes, X and Y) can influence our brain ? While there are mostly similarities between the biology of males and females, sex can make a difference in terms of health risks, including mental disorders. How we can apply neuroimaging techniques to compare the brain of the different biological sexes and what we learned from brain imaging research on sex differences in the brain will be discussed during this Science Fika.

May 20, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Mohamad Ali
Language: English
Epithelial-cells

Cancer growth and metastasis

For many people, Cancer is the most dreadful nightmare of all time. However, unlike what you may think, Cancer represents the true meaning of life that can guide us to the most sacred secret of humanity. In my talk, I’ll explain how cancer is a universe in itself and how to make use of it for a better life.

May 6, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Peter Frykholm
Language: Swedish
Michelangelo,_Creation_of_Eve_01

Paediatric anaesthesia: any consequences for the brain of a small child?

I would like to talk about what is known about cognitive and behavioural changes associated with anaesthesia of the developing brain, what pediatric anaesthetists do to minimise the risks and tell you something about ongoing research in Uppsala.

Apr 23, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Tobias Mothes
Language: Swedish
The-waters-of-lethe-by-the-plains-of-elysium-1880

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and even after over 100 years of research, we still do not exactly know the cause or how it spreads through the brain. Why is it so difficult? Come and learn about how Alzheimer research has changed over the years in the pursuit of a cure.

Mar 26, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Maud Miguet
Language: English
Hellyer_Gorge,_Tasmania

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.

Mar 12, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Philippe Stamenkovic
Language: English
The_School_of_Athens _by_Raffaello_Sanzio_da_Urbino

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!

Feb 26, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Carlos Perez de los Heros
Language: English
Keplers_supernova

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.

Feb 12, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Muataz Lafta
Language: Swedish
PurkinjeCell

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.

Jan 29, 2023
Time: 14:00
Location: Uppsala Stadsbiblioteket – Mallas salen
Speaker: Richèl Bilderbeek
Language: English
Osc2021-unesco-open-science-no-gray

Open Science and scientists being humans

Open Science is a way to do science that is more reproducible, effective and inclusive. Since 2016, the European Union sees Open Science as the best method of doing research. This talk discusses what Open Science is and why it is important, touching upon the prevalence of dubious research practices and its causes. Spoiler: even scientists are only human.