European Researchers’ Night Returns to Rome

Promoting scientific culture and allowing the public to experience the world of research first-hand: this is the aim of the European Researchers’ Night of Net – scieNcE Togetherthe largest national partnership dedicated to scientific dissemination, which returns on September 27th and 28th 2024. An opportunity to see up close – through scientific shows, engaging talks and interactive workshops for adults and children – the work that thousands of researchers from the most important Italian and European research centres carry out every day in Italy. This year, the European Night of Net will be a special tribute to the life of Maria Skłodowska Curiethe extraordinary scientist who revolutionized the world of physics and chemistry, the first person in history to receive two Nobel Prizes.

Rome will be at the center of this journey into science which will involve 25 Italian and foreign cities. On Friday 27th and Saturday 28th September from 6pm to 11pm the City of the Other Economy – in the Testaccio district of Rome – will host Net Village, the science village open to all and free with events, workshops, activities for children, talks and meetings with researchers to bring the general public of all ages closer to the themes of science. A very successful event that last year involved over 16 thousand visitors!

Al Net Village Cnr-Artov (coordinator of the ScieNcE Together – Net project), Enea, Inaf, Infn, Ingv, Ispra, Cineca, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Tuscia, Uninettuno Telematic University, Enrico Fermi Research Center will meet in a single large square, with sixty stands and a large central stage, to involve citizens in the numerous events, all free of charge. Both days of the Net Village will be enriched by interactive scientific shows and games. Among the most anticipated are those born from the collaboration with the European nodes, Rome Technopole and La Scienza Coatta.

On September 27th researchers and leaders of the association will be the protagonists of ‘The Night of the Nobels’: a collection of anecdotes, biographies of tough scientists and stories in Roman dialect accompanied by ironic and irreverent images. Also on Friday 27th, don’t miss the show Inside Marie which, through comics, science and live connections with Paris, Warsaw and Stockholm, will take us back to the life of Maria Skłodowska Curie and will explain why her discoveries still have such a huge impact on our lives today. On the same day, Stand Up Research will take place, in collaboration with Rome Technopole, during which young researchers will have 2 minutes and 30 seconds to tell and convince the public and jury that their field of study is ‘cooler’ than others.

Il September 28thalways in collaboration with La Scienza Coatta, there will be space for ‘Er quizzone der Baffone’, the game with no prizes, where who wants to be a millionaire, the puzzle week and quarks merge for a concentration of small and large scientific curiosities on which to challenge each other, amicably but with ‘forcenza’, an interactive, irreverent and rowdy mode. On the same day on the central stage of the Village, with Wow! On the wave of science, we will swim among the waves of physics, chemistry and geology to explore their characteristics. Sea waves, seismic waves, light and sound will be the protagonists of many experiments and interactive scientific games that will amaze you.

Finally, fun is guaranteed with the show Set the table for me which tells the story of the periodic table and the scientists who worked tirelessly on it: Julia Lermontova, Maria Skłodowska Curie, Irène Joliot-Curie, Ida Noddack, Lise Meitner. 2024 marks the ninetieth anniversary of the death of the brilliant Polish scientist Maria Skłodowska Curie, which is why many of the NET – scieNcE Together events will have as a common thread celebrating the scientist, her extraordinary life and raising awareness of her incredible legacy in scientific, social and cultural terms. A pioneer in the field of radioactivity and the first person in history to win two Nobel Prizes, Maria Skłodowska Curie symbolizes the combination of scientific excellence and the commitment to gender equality in science. During the event, her discoveries and their lasting impact on numerous scientific disciplines, from medicine to energy production, will be explored.