Images of an unforgettable evening: the opening, midnight interlude, tasting of Cacio e Pepe, excerpts from “Encounters in the Milky Way,” and Happy People on the dance floor with statements from Fabrizio Olmeida, Christine Marizzi, Astrid Séville, and others.
Red Carpet 2026
Before the ball begins, Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig hosts a reception for representatives of Vienna’s scientific community and their guests from Austria and abroad. Click here to view the pictures:
The pictures of the ball 2026
A colorful collection of photos that beautifully captures the joy of the ball evening, taken by our ball photographers Ludwig Schedl, Franz Reiterer, Manuel Prett, and Christian Haas. Enjoy!
A bucket of cold water
I used the image of a bucket of cold water to summarize the Vienna Lecture on Science Communication on the eve of the ball, immediately after Professor Astrid Séville’s presentation. I found her remarks on kitsch and the crisis in science communication both “refreshing and sobering.” With the courage to present a concise thesis, grounded in strong theoretical arguments, Séville explained the necessity of good science communication while simultaneously warning against overloading it with well-intentioned content and the supposed compensation for deficiencies in democratic discourse. Continue reading A bucket of cold water
Second-hand fine fabric
The Vienna Science Ball Gown Swap on January 9, 2026, once again proved to be a crowd-pleaser. Over 100 gowns and suits drew visitors to the foyer of the Biology Center at the University of Vienna, part of the Vienna BioCenter Campus, for both buying and swapping. Praised by the Kronen Zeitung as an “exemplary event,” guests browsed the colorful selection at the “dress carousel for ball enthusiasts” (W24) while enjoying a glass of Prosecco.
The Paradox Heist
Wrinkle-free photo booth
It is a particular favorite of the audience at the Science Ball: the wrinkle-free photo booth creates graceful silhouettes reminiscent of 18th-century paper cuttings – depicting the faces of the guests free of any worry lines or signs of effort from the dance floor. The symbols are inspired by science. The proceeds from your voluntary donations go to the MORE Refugee Initiative of the University Conference uniko. As contribution we recommend 5 Euro.
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Making insights visible
Visualization expert Liuhuaying Yang fills data with sensory experiences – and thus opens up new avenues for science communication. What do agriculture and military technology have in common? Yang compares societies from 10,000 BC to 1800 AD, revealing the driving forces behind increasing social complexity.
The Divertimento Viennese plays Berlioz
After the big Strauss year in 2025, there is no comemorational regent this season. The program is therefore free of anniversary obligations and allows for discoveries. That is why the Divertimento Viennese ball orchestra under Vinzenz Praxmarer is setting a rather unusual accent: the second movement (“Un bal”) from Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.
Photo op with Gregor Mendel and the Axolotl
This year, we are delighted to once again be able to offer exciting camera fodder. One subject—produced by IMBA (Institute of Molecular Biotechnology)—is actually already a regular. Last year, the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) was the surprise star of the evening. The model organism in regeneration proved to be a hit with the audience.
Continue reading Photo op with Gregor Mendel and the Axolotl