Programme

11 May, 14:30 – 15:45, Hall Cosmos in association with А1

Bulgarian audiences will meet internationally renowned Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin at the Sofia Science Festival, just about a month before his sixtieth anniversary. He will share thoughs on scifi, science, human civilisation and its future. Sofia University reader on contemporary fantasy utopias, writer and fantasy and scifi editor at the ShadowDance portal Dr. Alexander Popov, together with translator of Liu Cixin’s trilogy into Bulgaria Stefan Rusinov will discuss with the outstanding author his works, the writers who influenced him, the screen adaptations of his novels and many other exciting topics.

20:30 – 21:30, Hall Cosmos in Association with А1

Digital Humanism and Knowledge Institutions

In this lecture Director of the Vienna City Library and philosopher Anita Eichinger will share the basics of Digital Humanism. The Manifesto for Digital Humanism, which was adopted at TU Wien in 2019, aims to put people in the centre of digital transformation and ensure that technology is used in accordance with ethical and moral principles. One of the biggest challenges in this context is the loss of trust in facts and truths. In this context, libraries play an important role, serving as guardians of knowledge and truth. Libraries can help facilitate access to information and ensure that facts and truths are accessible to all. In addition, libraries can act as key players in promoting media literacy and critical thinking.

This event will be in English, simultaneous translation will be available.
In partnership with the Austrian Embassy.

11 May, 20:30 – 21:30, Hall 42

This year we celebrate 550 years since the birth of the Polish polymath Nicolaus Copernicus. Join Robert Nowakowski and Michal Blaszkiewicz as they walk us through the life of Copernicus, his most important scientific achievements and the progress of astronomy and astronautics after the Copernican revolution. Explore Copernicus as an inspiration for present and future scientists, find out about several projects named after him or honoring his achievements – the ESA mission “Copernicus”,  the citizen science project “Gaia Vari” and the Project “CREDO”.

This event will be in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Polish Institute. 

10:00 – 11:00 am, Hall Ocean – Incubator building 
children and parents

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs lived all across Europe. Some of the most exciting new discoveries are coming from countries like Bulgaria and Scotland, where dinosaur fossils were unknown until very recently. In this event for children and families, teacher and writer Anne Brusatte introduces the dinosaurs that once lived in Scotland during the Jurassic Period, 170 million years ago. Meet long-necked plant-eating sauropods, stegosaurs with plates on their backs, and ferocious meat-eating raptors. Anne will read her new children’s story book Dugie the Dinosaur, and then lead children in creative activities in which they draw and design their own dinosaurs—with feathers! She will be joined by Steve Brusatte, her husband and writing partners, who is a palaeontologist who has discovered many of the new dinosaur fossils in Scotland, and is currently working with Bulgarian colleagues to find new dinosaurs in Bulgaria. They will together answer any questions you have about dinosaurs!

In English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.

11:30 – 12:30, Hall Ocean – Incubator building 
children and parents

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs lived all across Europe. Some of the most exciting new discoveries are coming from countries like Bulgaria and Scotland, where dinosaur fossils were unknown until very recently. In this event for children and families, teacher and writer Anne Brusatte introduces the dinosaurs that once lived in Scotland during the Jurassic Period, 170 million years ago. Meet long-necked plant-eating sauropods, stegosaurs with plates on their backs, and ferocious meat-eating raptors. Anne will read her new children’s story book Dugie the Dinosaur, and then lead children in creative activities in which they draw and design their own dinosaurs—with feathers! She will be joined by Steve Brusatte, her husband and writing partners, who is a palaeontologist who has discovered many of the new dinosaur fossils in Scotland, and is currently working with Bulgarian colleagues to find new dinosaurs in Bulgaria. They will together answer any questions you have about dinosaurs!

In English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.

11:30 – 12:30, Hall 42
mixed audience

Unable to bring stars to the laboratory, astronomers study them simply by watching them. Through the light that reaches us, we understand that in some way we are very much like the stars – we are born, we live, and we die. However, are they all the same? Are they of the same age, do they have the same companions, the same signature? These are some of the questions raised by astrophysics. Explore their possible answers with Portuguese astrophysicist Alexandre Aibéo as they force us to reflect on our place in the universe, which is a fundamental process for developing a critical spirit and an educated choice that are the basis of citizenship.

This event is in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian is available.
In partnership with the Instituto Camões Sófia.

13:00 – 14:00, Hall 42
general audience

Researchers from several countries, including Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have launched a massive European project to study the seismic activity of the continent, and the Balkans. A number of seismic stations were installed last summer across Bulgaria to collect data. Find out more about what earthquakes are telling us from Czech seismologist Petr Kolínský is a seismologist interested in propagation of seismic waves from earthquakes. He uses these waves to study the parts of the Earth down to several hundreds of kilometers. To reach better resolution of the Earth structure and to understand the wave propagation better, he uses data from dense seismic networks.  He is affiliated with the Institute of Geophysics, Prague, the Czech Republic. Before, he was working at the University of Vienna, Austria.

This event is in English, simultaneous translation is available.
In partnership with the Czech Centre.

13 May, 14:30 – 15:30, Hall 42

Ageing seems inevitable, but can we slow the process down, or even reverse it? A single change to the DNA of a nematode worm can double its lifespan; mice fed less than normal can live 50% longer; and some creatures never seem to age at all. Are these hints that this seemingly fundamental process could be flexible? And could this one day lead to real anti-ageing medicine? Explore with Andrew Steele, the British physicist who switched fields to computational biology to seek for answers to the greatest challenges of human life.

Andrew’s book is published by Ciela just in time for the festival so do grab your copy from the Festival bookstore and join us after the talk to get Andrew to sign it for you!

This event is in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with Ciela Publishing House and The Sofia Globe.

13 May, 16:00 – 17:00, Hall Cotangents
workshop

During the workshop conducted by Michał Błaszkiewicz and Robert Nowakowski from the Polish Society of Astronomy Enthusiasts, the principles of safe observations through the telescope will be discussed.observation of the sun’s photosphere and chromosphere using advanced solar telescopes, Lunt LS60T Hα/B1200 and refractor (Image of a daytime star in the full visible spectrum and in the narrow hydrogen band Ha 656.28 nm). Differences between the construction of individual telescopes and changes introduced by successive optical constructors over the years will be discussed. The operation of a solar telescope with an integrated etalon filter and a refractor with a full-aperture solar filter (ND5 mylar film) will be explained. Additionally, the theoretical and practical way of operation of advanced equatorial mounts with the automatic GoTo system and its use by beginner and advanced amateur astronomers will be shown. The most beautiful photos of Polish astrophotographers will also be presented. During the workshop, the principles of processing recorded videos from solar observations will be shown. Free video stacking programs will be used.

Dedicated to the 550 anniversary since the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus.
This event will be in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Polish Institute.

13 May, 16:00 – 17:00, Hall Ocean – Incubator building
workshop for children and parents

Have you ever wanted to do experiments at home, most probably in the kitchen? Yet your parents won’t let you – they are concerned with your safety. Come along with your parents to perform some experiments under the supervision of Michael Gregory and then try to replicate them at home. Michael is a science teacher and ambassador of the European teachers network Scientix, who travels the world on his bike to collect the most interesting experiments and to train teachers and students. He has already visited 30 countries for his field trip with the single question “Which is your favourite experiment?”

This event is in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.

16:30 – 17:30, Hall Cosmos in association with А1

Humans are mammals, as are more than 6000 other animals, ranging from mice and bats to elephants and whales. In this talk, palaeontologist Steve Brusatte tells the story of mammal evolution, a 325-million-year journey that saw our ancestors persevere in the shadow of the dinosaurs, survive the worst day in the history of Earth, and then rapidly diversity and claim the world as their own. In telling this story, Brusatte — a professor at the University of Edinburgh and the palaeontology consultant for the film Jurassic World: Dominion–reveals the new fossil finds and technologies that are allowing us to understand the evolution of mammals in unprecedented detail. As part of this talk, Brusatte will unveil the new Bulgarian translation of his popular science book “The Rise and Reign of the Mammals”, which follows on from his earlier book “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs”, which he presented to the Sofia Science Festival to great fanfare in 2019! 

And thanks to the efforts of Ciela Publishing House, “The Rise and Reign of the Mammals” will be available in Bulgarian at the Festival bookshop. After the talk join us there, grab your copy and get in line for Steve’s personal dedication to you! 

This event is in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with Ciela Publishing House and the British Council. 

13 May, 17:30 – 18:30, Hall Ocean – Incubator building
workshop for children and parents

Have you ever wanted to do experiments at home, most probably in the kitchen? Yet your parents won’t let you – they are concerned with your safety. Come along with your parents to perform some experiments under the supervision of Michael Gregory and then try to replicate them at home. Michael is a science teacher and ambassador of the European teachers network Scientix, who travels the world on his bike to collect the most interesting experiments and to train teachers and students. He has already visited 30 countries for his field trip with the single question “Which is your favourite experiment?”

This event is in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.

13 May, 17:30 – 18:30, Hall Cotangents
workshop

During the workshop conducted by Michał Błaszkiewicz and Robert Nowakowski from the Polish Society of Astronomy Enthusiasts, the principles of safe observations through the telescope will be discussed.observation of the sun’s photosphere and chromosphere using advanced solar telescopes, Lunt LS60T Hα/B1200 and refractor (Image of a daytime star in the full visible spectrum and in the narrow hydrogen band Ha 656.28 nm). Differences between the construction of individual telescopes and changes introduced by successive optical constructors over the years will be discussed. The operation of a solar telescope with an integrated etalon filter and a refractor with a full-aperture solar filter (ND5 mylar film) will be explained. Additionally, the theoretical and practical way of operation of advanced equatorial mounts with the automatic GoTo system and its use by beginner and advanced amateur astronomers will be shown. The most beautiful photos of Polish astrophotographers will also be presented. During the workshop, the principles of processing recorded videos from solar observations will be shown. Free video stacking programs will be used.

Dedicated to the 550 anniversary since the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus.
This event will be in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Polish Institute. 

13 May, 18:00 – 19:00, Hall Cosmos in association with А1

Since the release of the first images obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) almost a year ago (July 2022), this observatory is pushing the current state of knowledge from the farthest reaches of the Universe to some of the closest objects we can observe in the Solar System. The detection of the first galaxies beyond the Big Bang was the driver for the massive space telescope, but new discoveries are being made routinely now for extrasolar planets (planets around other stars beyond our solar system), star formation and evolution, and new glimpses and findings closer to home. We are seeing the Universe, Galaxy, and Solar System now with a whole new light. This presentation will highlight some of the new discoveries already being made with Webb its first year of science. Let Dr. Stefanie Milam deputy project scientist for planetary science at JWST guide you through the new data we are seeing.

This event will be in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Embassy of USA.

19:30 – 20:30, Hall Cosmos in association with А1

Voir la version française ci-dessous

After having been theoretical curiosities of Einstein’s general relativity for a long time, black holes are nowadays standard astrophysical objects. They are observed with telescopes in the full electromagnetic spectrum, as well as with gravitational wave detectors. Theoretical astrophysicist at the French National Center for Scientific Research Eric Gourgoulhon will review progress both on the theoretical and the observational sides, and discuss the prospects of using black holes as probes for better understanding gravitation in our universe.

This event will be in French, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with Institut Français.

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Trous noirs : de la théorie aux observations

Après avoir été des curiosités théoriques de la relativité générale d’Einstein pendant longtemps, les trous noirs sont aujourd’hui des objets astrophysiques standards. Ils sont observés avec des télescopes dans tout le spectre électromagnétique, ainsi qu’avec détecteurs d’ondes gravitationnelles. Je passerai en revue les progrès tant sur le plan théorique et les aspects observationnels, et discuter des perspectives d’utilisation des trous noirs comme sondes pour mieux comprendre la gravitation dans notre univers.

Image illustrative. Il s’agit d’une image libre de droits accessible au public, qui a été réalisée par un étudiant de notre groupe (crédit : Florentin Jaffredo). Elle représente un trou noir entouré d’un disque de matière ; l’image a été calculée en résolvant l’équation du mouvement des photons dans un espace-temps courbe à l’aide du logiciel libre SageMath. Les détails complets sur la production de cette image sont ici.

En partenariat avec l’Institut Français de Bulgarie

13 May, 21:00 – 22:00, Hall Cosmos in association with А1

Perhaps there is nothing more mysterious in the human body than the brain. What does modern science know about the brain? How comprehensive is this knowledge? How does the brain work when we are awake and asleep? What is optogenetics and is it possible to control the brain and behavior with the help of light? All these questions will be answered by Ukrainian neuroscientists Pavel Belan and Nana Voitenko.

This event is in English, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine and the STEM IS FEM project https://stemisfem.org

14 May, 11:30 – 12:30, Hall 42 

What stories are hidden in the DNA of sharks? Did you know that shark DNA is 1.5 times bigger than human DNA? Scientists say that this means there are things coded into sharks that humans can’t do. Ongoing research into shark DNA may help solve the mystery but also perhaps tell us something about ourselves. Perhaps we could learn from sharks? Come and ask Gibbs Kuguru, a 2022 National Geographic Explorer from Kenya and shark scientist who studies the DNA of sharks. He developed his field skills with Great White Sharks at a cage diving company in South Africa and is now a Ph.D candidate at Wageningen University. He hopes to use filmmaking as a vector to change social attitudes around sharks to keep their populations safe.

This event is in English, simultaneous translation will be available.
In partnership with National Geographic.

14 May, 13:00 – 14:00, Hall Cotangents
workshop

During the workshop conducted by Michał Błaszkiewicz and Robert Nowakowski from the Polish Society of Astronomy Enthusiasts, the principles of safe observations through the telescope will be discussed.observation of the sun’s photosphere and chromosphere using advanced solar telescopes, Lunt LS60T Hα/B1200 and refractor (Image of a daytime star in the full visible spectrum and in the narrow hydrogen band Ha 656.28 nm). Differences between the construction of individual telescopes and changes introduced by successive optical constructors over the years will be discussed. The operation of a solar telescope with an integrated etalon filter and a refractor with a full-aperture solar filter (ND5 mylar film) will be explained. Additionally, the theoretical and practical way of operation of advanced equatorial mounts with the automatic GoTo system and its use by beginner and advanced amateur astronomers will be shown. The most beautiful photos of Polish astrophotographers will also be presented. During the workshop, the principles of processing recorded videos from solar observations will be shown. Free video stacking programs will be used.

Dedicated to the 550 anniversary since the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus.
This event will be in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Polish Institute. 

14 May, 14:30 – 15:30, Hall Cotangents
workshop

During the workshop conducted by Michał Błaszkiewicz and Robert Nowakowski from the Polish Society of Astronomy Enthusiasts, the principles of safe observations through the telescope will be discussed.observation of the sun’s photosphere and chromosphere using advanced solar telescopes, Lunt LS60T Hα/B1200 and refractor (Image of a daytime star in the full visible spectrum and in the narrow hydrogen band Ha 656.28 nm). Differences between the construction of individual telescopes and changes introduced by successive optical constructors over the years will be discussed. The operation of a solar telescope with an integrated etalon filter and a refractor with a full-aperture solar filter (ND5 mylar film) will be explained. Additionally, the theoretical and practical way of operation of advanced equatorial mounts with the automatic GoTo system and its use by beginner and advanced amateur astronomers will be shown. The most beautiful photos of Polish astrophotographers will also be presented. During the workshop, the principles of processing recorded videos from solar observations will be shown. Free video stacking programs will be used.

Dedicated to the 550 anniversary since the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus.
This event will be in English, translation into Bulgarian will be available.
In partnership with the Polish Institute.

14 May, 16:00 – 17:00, Hall Cosmos in association with A1

Voir la version française ci-dessous

Prof. Jean-Marie Tarascon is professor at the College de France holding the chair Chemistry of solids – Energy, but much of his early career was spent in US where he discovered the plastic LI-ion technology. Back to France in 1995, he created the European network of excellence ALISTORE-ERI and more recently the French network on electrochemical energy storage (RS2E). Tarascon’s present research is devoted to battery materials/electrolytes, novel reactivity concepts, chemistries beyond Li and sensing. He is author to ~700 scientific papers, detains ~100 patents and received many honours with the last ones being the 2020’s Balzan Prize and the CNRS 2022 Gold medal.

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Jean-Marie Tarascon est professeur au Collège de France titulaire de la chaire « Chimie des solides – Énergie », mais une grande partie de son début de carrière s’est déroulée aux États-Unis où il a découvert la technologie plastique Li-ion. De retour en France en 1995, il crée le réseau d’excellence européen ALISTORE-ERI et plus récemment le réseau français sur le stockage électrochimique de l’énergie (RS2E). Ses recherches actuelles sont consacrées aux matériaux/électrolytes des batteries, aux nouveaux concepts de réactivité, aux chimies au-delà du Li et à la détection. Il est l’auteur de ~700 articles scientifiques, détient ~100 brevets et a reçu de nombreuses distinctions, les dernières étant le prix Balzan 2020 et la médaille d’or du CNRS 2022.

photo: time.news

19:00 – 20:00, Hall Cosmos in association with А1
general audience

Our voices are basic to our normal existence and human speech has evolved to be robust for being understood by the listener and as a means for transmitting inner feelings even when presenting to large audiences (without amplification) for proclamation, when in the presence of competing loud sounds locally and when singing with large orchestral accompaniment. Human vocal tissue also withstands mummification and that has enabled the creation of a vowel sound from the 3,000 year old Mummy, Nesyamun.

This talk by Prof. David Howard, the researcher behind the remarkable achievement, will review human voice production and its use for communication of words in both speech and singing. It will describe the practical side of how a vowel sound was created from Nesyamun and it will offer tips for keeping our voices healthy.

In English, interpretation into Bulgarian available.
In partnership with the Science & Innovation Network and the British Embassy.

14 May, 19:00 – 20:00, Hall 42

Voir la version française ci-dessous

Maths and science are everywhere. Innovation is the key to the competitiveness of companies to succeed in their necessary transformations. Encouraging young girls and young women to embark on scientific studies to meet the challenges of digital, industrial and ecological transitions in the service of a responsible, resilient and inclusive society, this is the main focus of the conversation between two outstanding women in science – French engineer and mathematician Françoise Prêteux and Bulgarian molecular biologist and geneticist Milena Georgieva. Join them and moderator Vassilena Valchanova to be inspired and explore how science, mathematics and innovation contribute across areas such as health, telecoms, energy or even the industrial metaverse.

This event is in French and Bulgarian, simultaneous translation into Bulgarian is available.

In partnership with Institut Français and Naos

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Science et innovation : un métier de femme et d’avenir

Les mathématiques et les sciences sont partout. L’innovation est la clé de la compétitivité des entreprises pour réussir leurs nécessaires transformations. Encourager les jeunes filles et jeunes femmes à se lancer dans les études scientifiques pour relever les défis des transitions numérique, industrielle et écologique au service d’une société responsable, résiliente et inclusive, tel est le fil d’Ariane de mon intervention. Comment mathématiques et innovation y contribuent illustrera concrètement mon propos en empruntant au domaines de la santé, des télécom, de l’énergie ou encore du métavers industriel.

En partenariat avec l’Institut Français de Bulgarie et l’entreprise Naos