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Jan Havlicek co-edited special issue of PTRS B devoted to olfactory communications in humansRecently published special issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B ‘Olfactory communication in humans’ which was co-edited by Jan Havlicek of Department of Zoology of our Faculty. The Special issue is based on Royal Society Theo Murphy meeting organized by S. Craig Roberts, Benoist Schaal and Jan Havlíček. Published Dec 10, 2020 |
Popular Science: Snow cover, tell me how much water will there be in the summer?Dry periods that have been observed not only in our country, but also in other Central European countries in recent years, have several causes. They are associated mainly with higher air temperatures and lower precipitation or its different distribution during the year. However, the accumulation of snow cover also plays a crucial role. These changes have been studied in more detail by hydrology experts together with members of the Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology from our faculty. Published Dec 07, 2020 |
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Popular Science: Testosterone does not make big fighters – at least in chameleons?While body size is one of the biggest differences between sexes (i.e. sexual dimorphism) in chameleons, little is still known about the mechanism of its evolution. Scientists assumed that male sex hormones play a major role in the ontogeny, as it is thought to be in most vertebrates. However, a study done in geckos suggested otherwise. Three scientists from the Department of Ecology of Charles University’s Faculty of Science led by prof. Lukáš Kratochvíl have carried out a study in chameleons to find out how male gonadal androgens impact the ontogeny of sexual dimorphism. Published Nov 30, 2020 |
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History and development of analytical chemistry at Charles University before 1920"History and development of analytical chemistry at Charles University before 1920" is the article by Karel Nesmerak Ph.D. and Radek Chalupa, MSc. from Department of Analytical Chemistry, published in the november issue of journal Montshefte für Chemie – Chemical Monthly. The article is dedicated to the centenary of the establishment of the independent Faculty of Science of the Charles University, in particular, it provides an overview of the history of analytical chemistry at this university from its founding in 1348 to 1920. Published Nov 27, 2020 |
Popular Science: The Devil’s OwnScratchy eyes, irritated skin, eczema, headaches, asthma, cancer and even death. These are the main health risks caused by formaldehyde. This organic compound is extensively produced industrially worldwide, as it is part of a large number of products. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above and would like to find out if the cause is, for example, new furniture, look at the new methods of rapid detection of formaldehyde in wood-based products, which were developed with contributions from Pavel Dvořák and Vlastimil Vyskočil from the Department of Analytical Chemistry. Published Nov 23, 2020 |
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Integration course WELCOME TO THE CZECH REPUBLICWe would like to invite all international full-degree students to the ONLINE integration course WELCOME TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC (for non-EU students only). Published Nov 13, 2020 |
Popular Science: Education and Research in the Pandemic TimesHow did the lock-down affect the life of scientists? We asked several questions of two members of our Faculty – Petr Tureček (theoretical biologist, postdoctoral researcher) and Lukáš Kratochvíl (evolution biologist, professor). Published Nov 09, 2020 |
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How to convert teaching from in-class to online environmentAre you struggling with teaching via Zoom or other online platforms? Are you exhausted after every class taught online? Are your students less engaged online than in-class? Are you unable to cover all the planned material while teaching online? This two-session interactive course is tailored-made for lecturers who are in the process of converting their in-class courses to the online environment. It provides basic tips about what to do and will help you feel more confident about teaching online. Published Nov 03, 2020 |
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Popular Science: No more bottles of beer? Czech adolescents drink less alcoholAlcohol has been relatively accessible and attractive for teens in the past. In the last decade, however, alcohol consumption among adolescents in Europe has begun to decline. Ladislav Kážmér from the Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, together with Pavla Chomynová from the National Institute of Mental Health, analysed the main causes of this decline. Published Nov 02, 2020 |
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4EU+Urban Health Case Chalenge 2020Do you want work in a multidisciplinary team and solve a real-world urban challenge together with 70 students from eight different universities across Europe? Sign up for 4EU+ Urban Health Case Challenge 2020 now and represent Charles University and the city of Prague in this brand new student competition.The Urban Health Case Challenge (UHCC) is a new initiative under the 4EU+ (European University Alliance). It addresses urban changes in relation to health and demographic transformation. In 2020, the case challenge (case competition) will focus on community resilience in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UHCC will take place on 23-27 November 2020.The UHCC online platform will become available to nominated students on October 30, 2020. Published Oct 15, 2020 |
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The CU crisis team hereby appeals to students accommodated at CU dormitoriesFollowing the adoption of Czech Government Resolution no. 1022 on 12 October 2020, we request that students accommodated at CU dormitories give responsible consideration to their continued stay at their dormitory. However, any students who are unable to leave their dormitory for good reason (risk of the spread of infection amongst high-risk groups on return to one’s place of abode) shall be allowed to remain at their dormitory in accordance with the declaration of the Czech Ministry of Education. Published Oct 13, 2020 |
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ONYGENALES 2020: Basic and clinical research advances in dermatophytes and dimorphic fungi in hindsightONYGENALES workshop, bi-annual meeting organised by ISHAM Working Group ONYGENALES in cooperation with Charles University, was held in Prague on 10 September – 11 September, 2020. It brought together researchers, students, clinicians, laboratorians and public health professionals across biomedical disciplines interested in current developments in dermatophyte, dimorphic and keratinophilic fungi research. Published Sep 30, 2020 |
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Coronavirus: links to official information sources and binding instructionsWe bring you the current status of measures with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. The page will be updated on an ongoing basis. It contains the basic generally valid information and will be updated with measures adopted by The Task Force of The Faculty of Science. Published Sep 17, 2020 |
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Czech Republic's Prime Minister visits The Parc in PragueDuring the visit to Zentiva on August 27, 2020 in Prague, a government delegation led by Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babiš met with the representatives of The Parc, The Pharmaceutical Applied Research Centre, and representatives of academic institutions involved in the project. Our Faculty is among them. Published Sep 01, 2020 |
Popular Science: What is the bird species diversity in traditional fruit orchards?Agriculture intensification and other anthropogenic changes in landscape affect bird populations negatively. Birds are pushed out of the landscape, which ultimately has an adverse effect on the ecological balance in nature, in turn affecting humans. With that said, is every man-made habitat indeed unsuitable for diverse bird populations? Experts together with Dušan Romportl from the Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology focused on the issue of bird species diversity in small areas used as orchards. Published Aug 28, 2020 |
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Popular Science: Frequency of fog in the Czech Republic. What is the trend?Fog is very important for the environment and for human society. In particular, it brings moisture to the landscape and cleans the atmosphere. However, it can be dangerous due to low visibility conditions and because of the formation of acidic fog associated with air pollutants. Yet, not enough attention was devoted to detailed research into fog. Scientists led by Iva Hůnová therefore focused on a comprehensive study of the occurrence of this important atmospheric phenomenon in the Czech Republic from a long-term perspective. Published Aug 22, 2020 |
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Popular Science: Forest protection against Impatiens glandulifera invasionImpatiens glandulifera is one of the most successful invasive plants in Europe. In the past, its occurrence was associated mainly with riverbanks because running water facilitated further spread. In the last 20 years, however, I. glandulifera has begun to appear also in forests. What conditions influenced this sudden change during the invasion, what effect can its presence have on the forest ecosystem and how can its spread be stopped? A group of experts from the Institute of Botany of the CAS and our Faculty took a closer look at this issue. Published Aug 07, 2020 |
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Magnetic nanoparticles change their magnetic structure in a magnetic fieldWhen ultrafine magnetic particles are exposed to an external magnetic field, their magnetic core grows in a previously unexpected way. That is the result of an international study based on neutron scattering experiments performed under the lead of chemists from the University of Cologne (UoC). The study ‘Field-Dependence of Magnetic Disorder in Nanoparticles’ has been published in the journal Physical Review X. Published Jul 28, 2020 |
Popular Science: A dog or a wolf?There is a well-known saying that ‘a dog is man’s best friend’ and nowadays we often see that it can be true. Even though dogs are our best friends, there are still a lot of things we do not know about them. For example, when did they become our best friends? In other words, when did wolves begin their transformation from a feared predator into our best friend, the dog? A team of scientists, including Martina Lázničková-Galetová from Hrdlička Museum of Man (Charles University, Faculty of Science) and Moravian Museum in Brno, tried to find an answer to this question. With the help of the latest technology the scientists analysed the microstructure of teeth samples from the Předmostí Palaeolithic site. This study follows up research focusing on the evidence of one of the earliest occurrences of domestications of wolf. Published Jul 23, 2020 |
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A paper about the origin of teeth in Science!Valéria Vaškaninová from the Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (Faculty of Science, Charles University) is the main author of a paper recently published in Science. An international team she has put together was composed of scientists from Uppsala University, the European Synchrotron ESRF, Natural History Museum in London and National Museum in Prague, where the studied fossils are deposited. Published Jul 15, 2020 |