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Nearly four hundred cemeteries, thousands of tombstones, and centuries of remembrance. Jewish identity has shaped the history of the Czech lands and was an integral part of our society until the tragedy of the Holocaust. The majority of Czech Jews did not survive the Second World War, and Jewish communities disbanded, with no one left to tend to the memory of their ancestors. The gradual restoration of cemeteries in the Czech Republic only became possible after the fall of communism. The Matana company, affiliated with the Jewish Community of Prague, focuses on documenting and restoring Jewish heritage, with the Institute of Art History of the CAS conducting research in this field.

Draparnaldia erecta – that’s the name of a multicellular green alga that Lenka Caisová from the Biology Center of the CAS happened upon during her vacation in Sardinia. This previously unknown plant immediately captured the scientist’s attention, leading her to begin an in-depth investigation. She quickly recognized its potential. According to Caisová, this alga could help answer fundamental questions in evolutionary research, such as how plants transitioned from aquatic to terrestrial environments. The significance of the discovery has been acknowledged by the German Society for Plant Scientists, which declared Draparnaldia erecta “Alga of the Year” for 2025.

In orthopedics, bones sometimes have to be stabilized using metal screws, plates, or wires, which are later surgically removed. But what if these materials could simply dissolve inside the body instead? Jan Pinc from the Institute of Physics of the CAS focuses on biodegradable metals that could be used for this very purpose. The article was first published in Czech in the A / Magazine of the CAS.

Photovoltaics have become increasingly popular in recent years. People are looking for ways to save on energy costs, while environmental considerations also play a role. But in this field, there is still room for improvement. Researchers from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the CAS, working together with scientists from Linköping University in Sweden, have made significant progress in the development of eco-friendly solar cells. They have created organic solar cells that offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional silicon-based panels. The results of their research were published in Nature Energy.

A brief blank stare, a sense of déjà vu, loss of consciousness accompanied by convulsions, or even weeks-long confusion – epileptic seizures can manifest in many forms. Most of the time, they occur unexpectedly. But do they really? Computational neuroscientist Jaroslav Hlinka, from the Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), has been modeling the dynamics of epileptic seizures for years. His research was recently featured in the quarterly A / Magazine published by the CAS.

The Academy Assembly has elected Radomír Pánek as the nominee for the President of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) for the 2025–2029 term. Chosen from four candidates, Radomír Pánek from the Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS secured the majority vote during the 64th session of the Academy Assembly, held on 10 December 2024, at the National House Vinohrady in Prague. The Czech government will now review the nomination, and the President of the Czech Republic will officially appoint the new President of the CAS.

Four researchers from the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) have been awarded one of Europe’s most competitive grants, the ERC Consolidator Grant: Karel Žídek from the Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS, Tomáš Pluskal from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS, Martin Fotta from the Institute of Ethnology of the CAS, and Elisabeth Hehenberger from the Institute of Parasitology at the Biology Centre of the CAS. This marks a significant achievement for the CAS, which has secured the same number of Consolidator Grants as the University of Oxford, surpassing institutions like the University of Cambridge, which received one fewer grant.

Every year, tens of thousands of people in the Czech Republic experience a stroke. A team of scientists from the Institute of Biotechnology of the CAS and the Institute of Experimental Medicine of the CAS, in cooperation with experts from the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM), has made significant strides in understanding how the brain recovers after a stroke. Their findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Light is a key condition for life on Earth. But it’s also a remarkable tool, particularly in fields like microscopy. We now use light to probe previously unreachable depths – such as examining the inner workings of the living brain or observing biomolecules in real time. Light also has applications in laser micro-machining, which enables the creation of bacteria-resistant functional surfaces. Learn more in this special English issue of A / Magazine – the official quarterly magazine published by the Czech Academy of Sciences.

The close relationship between house mice and humans offers scientists a unique opportunity to study historical human migrations. A recent study by researchers from the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CAS and the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the CAS, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, brings new insights. The extensive research included genetic samples from over 8,000 mice and is reshaping our understanding of the colonization of Europe by mice, providing a fresh perspective on human–animal interactions.