In 2015, the American anthropologist Anna Tsing landed something of a global bestseller with her book “The Mushroom at the End of the World” and – I hope the Science Ball audience agrees with me here – a scientific global success. “About life in the ruins of capitalism” is the subtitle of the German translation and yes, this life and survival is simply unimaginable without science: diverse and broadly networking, excellently funded, respected and persistent research, its implementation and its communication. That is as certain as, say, the successful landing after a grand jeté. Continue reading Karl Regensburger: Dancing at the end of the world →

The Science Ball is more than a celebration – it is a strong symbol of the freedom of science and the diversity and openness that characterizes it. Especially on a ball evening when we celebrate science together, it is more important than ever to send a clear signal against those forces that threaten science and education. Continue reading Sarah Rossmann: A place of free thought →

Ever since man has existed, he has been searching for what we call “truth”. He tries to understand reality, he tries to find it, he looks for different perspectives on the world as it is. These insights, gained according to strict formal rules that are above all comprehensible to everyone, are then intended to benefit people in their daily lives.

Not only in medicine, to which I have dedicated my life, but above all when it comes to the administration of justice, citizens expect an unprejudiced search for truth and knowledge. Continue reading Christian Reiter: Popular science vs. populism →

As a child, my goal of becoming a scientist was of a pragmatic nature. As a declared fan of the Middle Ages and princesses, I soon became aware of the dark side of the Middle Ages: infectious diseases such as the plague. I was not reassured that such scenarios were in the past and wanted to be at the forefront of research into such diseases – as in “know your enemy”. Continue reading Sophie Juliane Veigl: We scientists have a duty to deliver →

Music and science are united in their ability to help us understand our world more deeply. While science offers us the tools to explore and explain the physical universe, music taps into the emotional and intuitive aspects of our human experience. Together, music and science create a richer, deeper understanding of life—science reveals the “how,” while music helps us grasp the “why.” Science and music are also connected at an emotional level: The aesthetic pleasure one feels when hearing great music, that is abound in Vienna, is mirrored by the pleasure of making a scientific discovery. Continue reading Elly Tanaka: A union of music and science →

So here it is, this year’s poster, again designed by the fabulous Lilly Panholzer. We have prepared a hi res version as PDF for download and print out as decoration for your lab and office. And this way to the portrait of Lilly in our archive.

Edit: 6 Dec 2024: Student tickets are sold out.

Ticket sales have been online since Monday, 11 November. “The good news: All systems are running smoothly. The homepage and web shop work perfectly. The even better news: Demand is enormous. We have seen a particularly high level of interest from guests who signed up for the newsletter and were thus informed in advance,” says ball organizer Oliver Lehmann, summing up the first 48 hours of sales. To sign up for the newsletter, simply send an email to ball@wissenschaftsball.at with the subject “Ball Info”. Tickets for the anniversary ball can be booked at www.wissenschaftsball.at/shop/. Prices: €120 for regular tickets, €40 for students. Tables can also be booked in the shop for the time being. Continue reading Ticket sales start for #SciBall25 →

As an organizing committee, we believe it is important to address the relevance of science communication beyond the ball evening. That is why we have designed the Vienna Lecture on Science Communication together with the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

This season, the renowned German political and media scientist Maja Göpel will give a lecture on the need for good science communication, especially in challenging times. Participation on Friday, January 24, 2025, at the Academy of Sciences is free, registration is required, and tickets will be allocated in the order in which registrations are received: www.wissenschaftsball.at/vienna-lecture-25/. Please note that the lecture will be in German only. Continue reading Maja Göpel gives Vienna Lecture on Science Communication →