European Researchers’ Night 2025
The European Researchers' Night returned to Lisbon on 26 September at National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC-ULisboa), under the theme `Science for Global Challenges´. IPFN was part of the programme with two activities, CANMILK (Carbon Neutral MILK) and “The magical world of lasers and plasmas”, allowing the visitors the opportunity to explore leading research and practical demonstrations.In the activity “CANMILK: Sustainable innovation in milk production”, the European project Carbon Neutral MILK was presented. The initiative focuses on reducing methane emissions in the agricultural sector by converting them into less harmful compounds, such as carbon dioxide, through the combined use of catalysis and plasmas. Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), a Research Unit of Chemistry of UL, and IPFN, through Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), are contributing to the project by developing a kinetic model that will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the reaction under study.
At the stand, researchers Farzaneh Ostovarpoor (IPFN), Mariana Pereira (CQE) and Rita de Jesus (CQE) introduced visitors to the idea of heterogeneous catalysis, using real catalysts, including one from a car, to show how plasma can make these reactions more efficient. They also used a children’s puzzle game to illustrate how molecular modelling can help identify catalysts with potentially favourable properties for different reactions, in a way that is both fast and cost-effective.
Coordinated by IST Professor and IPFN researcher Marija Vranic, with support from NFIST students, the activity “The magical world of lasers and plasmas” offered experiments for visitors to try. Children placed their hands on a plasma ball to trace the electric filaments, watched the current rise along the electrodes of a Jacob’s Ladder and handled an educational “lightsaber.” Each experiment illustrated basic principles of plasma physics, explained on-site by the team.
Celebrated across the continent, the European Researchers’ Night brought together more than 1.5 million people in 460 cities across 25 countries, reaffirming its role in opening science to society and showing the impact of research on everyday life.
