BELGRADE – In the sign of 26,000 visitors, 450 schools and many curious faces, whose smiles were drawn over four days by over 550 scientists, passed the eighth Festival of Science, which took place between 4 and 7 December a three locations in Belgrade, proving that with the help of science everything is possible.

 Madcap scientific experiments which make school subjects even more fun, the first opened Green Zone and the premiere Omnipotent Zone for which there were no boundaries, explosive scientific show programs and lectures by scientists from all over Europe marked this year’s edition of the Festival of Science, held under the slogan “Everything is Possible”. The festival, which was also visited by many guests from the region, was held in the Zepter Expo Center, the Students’ Cultural Center and the gallery of the National Bank of Serbia.

The favorite scientific entertainment of this year’s visitors, both young and older, was a dance with students of the Faculty of Physics of Belgrade University, who explained complicated scientific laws in a simple manner with the help of fire and electricity, dressed specially for the occasion in dancing shoes. Playing with the mind and our senses gained a completely new dimension in the Ames’s Room, which proved to be one of the most interesting corners of the Festival, a space in which the big become small, and the small thanks to science bigger than ever. Many in the spirit of the autumn wanted to learn with the help of the Institute for Biological Research Siniša Stanković about the life of trees and the stories told by the crowns full of multicolored leaves, while others directed their eyes to the stars and distant planets through large telescopes of the Faculty of Mathematics.

The festival’s exhibits were not only followed with smiles and looks full of surprise, but also with flashes on the cameras of those who wanted to record for posterity the unreal scientific stories. Visitors were also happy to stand before the lenses of still and video cameras, and thanks to the experts from the Pharmaceutical Faculty many happy moments under UV rays were recorded, while in the TV studio of the Super-School many youngsters tried out as TV presenters. Without a fear of dentists visitors learnt from students of the the Stomatological Faculty how to keep their teeth in good order, while with the help of forensic experts from the National Crime Technical Center the bravest embarked on solving detective cases.

For the first time at the Science Festival this year an Omnipotent Zone was opened and intended for all scientists, artisans and creative persons who with the help of science translated their ideas into concrete works. The greatest interest was reserved for scientists from Slovenia, who showed how with the help of 3D printers it was possible to make anything, including unique snowflakes.

The Students’ Cultural Center was a stage for scientific show programs at which scientists from Sweden performed an unrepeatable biological show, and their colleagues from Germany presented the Nobel Prize they won this year for their research in the field of biology. Exploding Discoveries and Creative Problems were among the most visited programs performed on the Science-Fantastic Stage, where there was no shortage of explosions and playing with science in 101 ways.

The first Green Zone shone in the Gallery of the National Bank of Serbia where visitors had an opportunity to be acquainted with the state in which the Earth now finds itself – as well as ways in which we can save it and preserve it for the future generations. The International Union for the Protection of Nature presented endangered species, the Foundation for the Protection of Birds of Prey revealed the secrets of urban predators, and the Faculty of Agriculture of Belgrade University showed how plants can help us in the production of oxygen, alternative forms of energy...

The general sponsor of the eighth Festival of Science was the oil company NIS which has been supporting the festival for three years as part of corporate social responsibility and the program Energy of Knowledge. The company, which relies on scientific-technical activities, the application of new technologies and innovations in all areas of business, presented itself this year with an interactive educational exhibit devoted to the creation of oil.

The friend of the exhibition was MT:S, and sponsorships and support came from: Erste Bank, Bambi, Grafiks, the French Institute, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development , the Secretariat for Education and Child Protection and the Cervantes Institute.

Source : House of Good News