The ecologist Franz Essl (University of Vienna) was one of our Ball Ambassadors in 2020. In 2023, the Club of Education and Science Journalists presents him as Scientist of the Year. We are delighted and congratulate Franz Essl very warmly. Here is an excerpt from an interview that Katharina Kropshofer conducted with the professor at the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research for Ball Magazine 2020. His message has lost none of its relevance or poignancy. Go to the full-length interview (in German) here. Continue reading Franz Essl: Everyone can contribute to change →

Mind the gap! This ball season the Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus am Karlsplatz is our host. Thanks to their hospitality we are distributing our tickets at this well-located address in the inner city centre from the 9 to 27 January, on workdays from 15.00 until 18.00.

Please note that we cannot accept creditcards, cash only! The exact address: Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus, 1010 Wien, Akademiestraße 13. You can reach the ticket office via U1, U4; Straßenbahnen 1, 2, 62, 71, D, U2Z; Badner Bahn; Busse 3A, 4A, 59A; Regionalbus 360.

“The Corona pandemic has shown more than ever the importance of European science and research. The grand challenges such as climate change, the energy transition and the aging of society can only be met with science and research – and this requires the highest political priority at both national and European level. Involving citizens in this process is essential to create and strengthen the necessary trust in science and research. This is precisely the goal of Open Science: science with, by and for society! Continue reading Robert-Jan Smits: Science with, by and for society →

“We can easily say (and claim) that a person who, for example, dances extraordinarily and consistently, probably does research in a similar way, and thus the one who does research, and thus does a lot of research consistently, would be a perfectly passable ball-goer. Continue reading Barbi Marković: When people dance like they do research →

“Gregor Mendel, whose 200th birthday was celebrated a few months ago in Brno, Vienna and also around the world, is known as the ‘founder of genetics’. Mendel is among the great names in biological research, and is often mentioned in the same breath as Charles Darwin. Mendel’s experiments on peas led to the discovery of the ‘Mendelian Inheritance’, named after him. Today, his findings can be found in every biology textbook. Continue reading Barbara Fischer: The lesson from Mendel’s legacy →

In itself, a ball is an enjoyable event. But sometimes we have to deal with the shortcomings of everyday life. Like this one: the federal government is currently planning legislation that will support publications which meet certain quality criteria. One crucial criterion is missing from the list: science. We are not the only ones who find this peculiar. Continue reading Where is the science? →

“Data is becoming increasingly essential in our digital society. It provides unprecedented insights and possibilities in all areas and promises to significantly improve our lives. Systems based on enormous volumes of data are influencing our daily decisions by recommending for example what restaurants (or balls) we should visit, what products we should buy, what communities we should join, or what news sources we should follow. Continue reading Shqiponja Ahmetaj: Facing the challenges →

“Democracy does not work without science: Science forms the basis for far-reaching decisions that shape our lives in all areas. However, the voice of science often remains in the background. Continue reading Michael Staudinger: Into the center of society →

“The Natural History Museum Vienna conveys the diversity of nature, the evolution of planet Earth and of life, and the related cultural development of mankind. The museum is thus an inspiring meeting place where dialogue and exchange between science and the public take place. Continue reading Kathrin Vohland: Making research visible →

“Less than a year after the first description of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, vaccination campaigns (sometimes faster, sometimes slower) could begin in January 2021. In January 2022, it was still unclear whether vaccinations would be able to withstand the onslaught of new omicron variants. In January 2023, we expect this to continue to be the case, allowing events like the Science Ball to finally take place again. A triumph from a scientific point of view.

Continue reading Peter Klimek: Let’s be loud and proud! →