Apart from our usual popular programmes, we also had something new up our sleeves for our guests during the event. We showed off our lasers, provided a comprehensive description about the wave nature of light, explained how we observe ultrafast processes and how the achievements of the 2018 and 2023 Nobel Prize winners in physics contributed to the birth of our institute. We performed “freezing” experiments with liquid nitrogen, the laser chess was back in action and the demonstrations of our radiobiologists captured the imagination of many. As a must-have element, visitors were offered the possibility to put on the attire of experimental physicists, as well as to try out our instruments in Focus – our Interactive Visitor Space.
According to the preliminary registrations, 22% of our visitors had been to our institute before, yet they returned, presumably in the hope of witnessing another miracle. Thirty per cent of our guests were below 18 of age; basically, they are the ones who can be won over to science. However, a quarter of our visitors admitted that they had done only as much science as they had been required to during their school years.
A sizeable group of students visited us from Hunyadi János Primary School, Secondary School and Residence Hall in Mezőkovácsháza, Békés county. “Back at school, my physics teacher was also my form teacher. Later, I happened to become the form teacher of his daughter. A former student of mine, Krisztina Sallai, works at ELI ALPS,” biology and history teacher Éva Acsai, who also escorted the students on this trip, said revealing a special connection.
Students from the school have been attending the Researchers’ Night events for years. Those participating in this year’s trip were intrigued by ELI ALPS and were happy to be bussed 80 kilometres for the experience. From year 8 to the final school year all age groups were represented. According to the teacher, the children were open throughout, interested in everything and enjoyed the programme. They found the experiments interesting and varied, and there was something for everyone. They also solved the crossword puzzle, which earned them the well-deserved reward: a Nobel prize shaped chocolate. “I was fascinated by this place, even though physics was never my strong point. Neither is it now, but I saw a lot of interesting things that changed my attitude towards the subject a bit,” Éva Acsai said. The former graduate from Szeged University said that they may come again next year.
Bernadett Tóth’s nine-year-old son, Álmos, visited us last year too. Recently, his mother asked him which programme of the University of Szeged they should attend. However, for Álmos, the only option was a visit to ELI ALPS. The young man was so impressed by our 2023 event that he kept his 2023 pass and wore it around his neck this year too. Last year, he was so fascinated by the laser chess that he has since fabricated one at home. This young lad with an interest in science was also impressed by the VR and microscopy sessions. Álmos doesn’t yet know what career he will embark on, but he says he will surely come back next year.
“When I first came to ELI ALPS years ago, I was amazed by the environment, the lectures and the demonstrations. But what impressed me most was the extremely kind and dedicated researcher who came up to me. She told me about ELI and about being a researcher here. It was the first time I felt that I myself could become a researcher one day. Later I came back to the institute, as I was still curious about many things. I could ask the ELI researchers almost all my questions,” said Enikő Szűcs, a senior student at the Szeged based Tömörkényi István Secondary School summarizing her experience gathered in the past few years. She has already attended our Researchers’ Night, Day of Light, Girls in Science Day events, and even our summer camp in recent years, yet she obtains interesting information and learns something new every time she visits us. Despite being in a class specialized in humanities, Enikő chose physics as an optional course at school. And what does the future hold? Will we see her back at the institute as a physicist? She says that first she must pass her school-leaving exams and must be admitted to university, but she definitely sees ELI ALPS as a possible future workplace.
Our colleague, Zsolt Divéki undertook one of the most difficult tasks: trying to answer the sometimes astonishing questions of visitors with different interests. In the “Ask me, not ChatGPT – or how to master the mindset of a physicist” programme he pointed out that when a physicist observes something, he makes assumptions about it based on known physical relationships and then draws conclusions from them. He applied this line of thinking when asked how he would make a lightsabre. First, he drew one and then analyzed it together with the asker. The essence of a lightsabre is a column of light emitted by something. In other words, you need a source to be placed in the handle. But the light would travel to infinity, so you need a mirror at a suitable distance from the handle to reflect the light back. But then, you also need a mirror in the handle. And lots of photons, because a single particle of light is not able to cut anything in two. Therefore, you need a crystal to amplify the light. So, essentially, you’ve gone from a lightsabre to a laser oscillator. Zsolt received questions about how to travel through time, and a year six student asked what he thought about string theory and how it works in space-time. Even Zsolt was surprised by the 12-year-old boy’s knowledge of physics.
To other visitors he explained why attosecond physics is important and what an attosecond is in general. Some guests also asked practical questions such as how long it takes to charge an electric car. With a little girl, they also discussed why a cat dropped head first would fall on its feet, and what would happen – strictly theoretically – if a slice of bread with jam was attached to its back.
Our lectures attracted the interest of many. Károly Osvay spoke about facts, misbeliefs and questions about global warming and (nuclear) energy production. Zsolt Lécz talked about laser-driven particle acceleration and its applications, while Szabolcs Hack spoke about nonclassical light and its applications. Gergely Samu introduced our guests into the world of solar cells and light emitting diodes, and revealed the relationship between light and semiconductors.
In another talk, our Managing Director outlined how the peaks of ALPS came to Szeged. It did not happen by chance: laser research at József Attila University (University of Szeged) has a history of at least five decades. Professor Gábor Szabó showed a photo of one of the first laser devices in Szeged from 1974. Thanks to the thoughtful developments, by 1999 the university could boast two internationally renowned laser laboratories.
The idea to build a major laser centre in Europe arose in the mid-2000s. The original concept was to build the new science base on a single site for €400 million. There was fierce competition among the prospective research locations, with cities in the UK, France and Sweden all expressing interest. It was finally decided in autumn 2009 that ELI, a joint Czech–Hungarian–Romanian venture, would be built on three sites with common but still distinct scientific programmes. Alongside Prague and Bucharest, Szeged was chosen as the third location, where the building complex of ELI ALPS was completed in spring 2017. When the issue of the potential construction of a laser centre in Szeged was seriously raised, Professor Gábor Szabó expressed a rather pessimistic view, but added that we should try, because, for example, if you don’t play the lottery, you have no chance to win the jackpot. (Few people remember that Hungary originally wanted to build a neutron research centre in Debrecen, but that plan finally fell through.)
ELI ALPS is the most advanced institution in its field in the world. Most users come from the United States, Germany and Spain, which shows that our reputation has travelled far and wide.
During the Researchers’ Night event, our aim was to prove to our visitors that ELI ALPS is a jewel in the international scientific landscape. Next year, we will await visitors with more wonders and surprises, first on the Day of Light in May 2025.
Photos: Gábor Balázs
Author: Zoltán Ötvös