Journey Full of Discoveries
With support from the European Physical Society and the Czech Physical Society, Klára Doležálková and Ondrej Cihlar, journalists from the Czech radio station ‘Radio Wave” visited various important research centres across Europe. During each visit, researchers were interviewed to provide insight for the listeners of the radio station into the lives of people that work in physics research. Below is the first hand report from Klára Doležálková.
The “Journey Full of Discoveries” project was supported by the European Physical Society which made it possible for Ondrej Cihlar and I to visit six European centres of physics research. To fully explain my position, I should mention that being a journalist and artist, I lack scientific background which may make my stance on physics fresh and original, although by no means scientific. My aim was to create a written and recorded report from every workplace visited. The articles were published both as written and as audio recordings on the website of Radio Wave (Czech Radio). Preparations for the trip took place in the spring and summer of 2017, so that we could then pack up our luggage, equipment and knowledge on electrons, protons, neutrons, plasma and so on and set off together with Ondrej Cihlar, my colleague and photographer.
Our first stop was ESO (European Southern Observatory), an astronomical research organisation in the town of Garching (DE) in the vicinity of Munich. I interviewed several scientists mostly regarding their daily research work which consists chiefly in analysis of data collected on the other side of the globe, in observatories at the Atacama Desert plateau. Scientists have been also been focused on the assembly of ELT (Extremely Large Telescope), the largest telescope of its kind in the world. First light is currently planned for 2025.
We left Garching for CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), in Geneva (CH). The renowned physics laboratory surpassed our highest expectations due to its proportions, number of staff, public relations attitude, as well as physics education support, and progressive attitude to gender issues and environmentalism. The day we spent at the sites was quite fruitful and productive. We managed to get a full briefing on the particle accelerator experiments and their complexity thanks to the brilliant presentation.
Our next stop was the ESRF and the ILL in Grenoble (FR). ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility) focuses on the use of X-ray radiation and their results have substantial impact on our everyday lives. An experiment with a hydrogen fuel cell, an upcoming transportation energy source, was conducted during our visit. While commercial uses of both ESRF and ILL are charged for, both facilities can be used free of charge for scientific purposes.
The ILL (Institut Laue-Langevin) is situated in close proximity to ESRF. This scientific facility uses neutrons for experiments that are conducted in order to carry out for example research of future AIDS medication or to develop more environment-friendly cooling with the use of magnets. As with X-ray radiation, neutrons do not cause any damage to the studied matter.
During my interviews, I came to realise repeatedly that scientists have to be entirely devoted to their vocation. Their short-term and postdoctoral research contracts are additional complexities for their personal lives, but these were clearly outweighed by a sense of an immensely fulfilling opportunity to contribute to a better future through work towards new solutions and inventions.
From Grenoble, we set off south to Cadarache (FR), the location of CEA (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and the site of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), the experimental tokamak reactor. The facility is expected to finish its construction by 2025 and then initiate plasma experiments. After becoming operational, it will produce the reactions which coulf ultimately offer vast amounts of green, safe and clean energy. Large amounts of plasma are needed to reach the needed temperature. The workers operate in 7 hour shifts, 24 hours a day. At this stage, the foundations are being constructed, using earthquake-resistant structures for safety reasons.
In close proximity, the Jules Horowitz Reactor is also under construction and is expected to begin operation within several years. A group of some 30 Czechs, mostly civil engineers, works here. Most of them have connections with UJV Rez research centre, their home base. This reactor is not meant to be a power supply for the energy distribution network; being quite small, it is rather used as a research reactor for testing alternative fuels for nuclear power plants.
This was our last stop after which we headed back to Central Europe. The main finding of our tour was that a scientist must be utterly dedicated to their vocation, give their heart to it, and be prepared to make sacrifices. All scientists we encountered had these priorities. Having the opportunity to make contribution to the research, trying out new methods, and venturing towards new horizons. Their satisfaction is the pushing of the envelope of recent knowledge of humankind, even though they may never see the final outcomes because it takes decades for distinct shifts to occur in science. Their common goal is to make the world genuinely a better place; and their drive is an ever- present sense of curiosity.
