The ’science boat’ MS Wissenschaft is coming to Bonn in early August

The University of Bonn will be organizing an exhibition and events as host of the floating science center

The University of Bonn’s - exhibit aboard the MS Wissenschaft. © Florentin
The University of Bonn’s - exhibit aboard the MS Wissenschaft. © Florentin J. Schmidt/Uni Bonn all images in original size .
When the MS Wissenschaft docks at Germany’s former capital from August 3-6 (Thursday through Sunday), the University of Bonn will be on board. A team from the University has designed and built an exhibit for the science vessel that is aligned with the topic for Science Year 2023--"Our Universe." Members of the public are invited to a panel discussion titled "Dialogue on Deck: Black Holes and the Limits of Space and Time" to be held on board the ship at 6pm on Friday, August 4. 

Moored at the Stresemannufer at the former Federal Palace (KD-Anleger), the MS Wissenschaft will be open from Thursday to Sunday (August 3-6) from 10 am to 7 pm. The Argelander Institute for Astronomy at the University of Bonn created this exhibition in partnership with the Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA Matter), the enaCom Transfer Center and other partner institutions. The interactive exhibition titled "Tracking Down the Universe" shows the public what makes the transdisciplinary study of our universe such a broad and fascinating pursuit, inviting school-age kids to get involved in the science. For more info visit https://www.faszination.uni-b­onn.de/en.

A number of events will be held in parallel with the exhibition, starting on Friday, August 4 at 6 pm with a panel discussion with researchers from the University of Bonn and other institutions on "Black Holes and the Limits of Space and Time." The astrophysicists will address scientific, epistemological and theological aspects and considerations bound up with the subject. The discussion moderator will be astrophysicist and aspiring astronaut Dr. Suzanna Randall, known as show host on the ZDF YouTube channel Terra X Lesch & Co. No registration is required. ( https://ms-wissenschaft.de/en­/events/di­alogue-on-­deck-black­-holes-and­-the-limit­s-of-space­-and-time/ )

Young people age twelve and over have an opportunity to have a live research experience on Saturday, August 5 from 1-4 pm at two workshops titled "Down to Earth Space Technology - Protecting the Environment with Satellite Images" (registration: aerospace@int.fraunhofer.de ).

Anyone who didn’t have a chance to visit the MS Wissenschaft can still check out the Universe on Tour road show in Bonn from August 9-13--a mobile planetarium with exhibition tent to be set up on the lawn of the Hofgarten. ( www.wissenschaftsjahr­.de/2023/u­niverse-on­-tour/bonn )

All of these events represent part of Science Year 2023: Our Universe. Entry is free of charge.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been organizing Science Years since 2000 in partnership with Wissenschaft im Dialog (WiD) as an initiative to get the public more interested in science and foster societal dialogue on research. For info visit https://www.wissenschaftsjah­r.de/2023/

Information on the MS Wissenschaft floating science center: https://ms-wissenschaft.de/de/

Science Year at the University of Bonn:  www.fascination.uni-­bonn.de/en