The Night of Science dives into various science topics with nearly 50 events

The Night of Science, a block party for science and research, takes over Helsinki on the 25th of January 2024. The public has a choice of nearly 50 events that offer many scientific topics, from space physics to arts and social sciences. All events are free of charge, and some of them are only online.

During the evening we will hear the thoughts of brain researcher Minna Huotilainen, historian Laura Kolbe, novelist Juha Hurme, educational psychologist Kirsti Lonka, consumption researcher Terhi-Anna Wilska, novelist Iida Turpeinen, science journalist Juha Kauppinen and dozens of other interesting speakers.

The events take place, for example, at the University of Helsinki's Think Corner, the natural history museum Luomus, the Kallio library and the restaurant Kustaa Vaasa. The doors are also open to many places, which are not normally open to the public, such as VTT's pilot center for bio-based products Bioruukki and the premises of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters.

Photo: Jaana Tihtonen.

Among the lectures and panel discussions, there are events where the public can try out different kind of things. For example, the observatory of the Helsinki University Museum Flame has workshops for the whole family, where you can get to know what plasma is and how to take pictures of the sun. At the House of Science and Letters, you can try what it was like to write in clay like the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians.

This year, the Night of Science is part of the Year of Sivistys 2024. The Night of Science is coordinated by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies and is funded by the Kone Foundation. The program is organized by, among others, Yle, University of Helsinki, Allegra Lab Helsinki, Finnish Literature Society, The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Finland's National Archives and dozens of learned societies.

The Night of Science is organized annually: every other year as an independent event and every other year on the same week as the Science Forum (Tieteen päivät). The first Night of Science was organized in 2003.