Programme offered by the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

GAME (ID: 1)

Let‘s play Geo-Jeopardy, a classic TV quiz show! Participants operate a hardware buzzer (big push button), answering simple questions about the Earth. The moderator displays the questions on a beamer. Highest scoring player wins.

Location: House H, Lecture Hall
Time: 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm, 4:15 pm - 4:45 pm

LECTURE (ID: 3)

Geodetic reference system are the fundamental basis for orientation on Earth as well as in space up to the most distant objects at the outscirts of the observable universe. The presentation explains several methods of orientation focussing on modern space geodetic techniques. 

Speaker: Robert Heinkelmann

Location: House H, Lecture Hall
Time: 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 4)

Secondary ion mass spectrometers (SIMS) are capable of measuring isotope ratios with an accuracy of 99.99 per cent – using a sample weighing less than one billionth of a gram. We present this high-precision instrument and explain the wide range of research it can be used for. We look at everything from the formation of the Earth to fish migration in the lakes of northern Brandenburg.

Location: Meeting point in front of House G
Time: every 20 minutes (Duration: 15 min.), max. 12 people

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 5)

Microorganisms colonize almost every conceivable habitat on earth. They occupy key positions in the conversion of substances and are thus the engineers of global material cycles. What do microorganisms look like? What significance do they have in soils and sediments? How do you hunt microorganisms in nature?

Location: Meeting point at the info stand
Time: 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm & 3:00 pm for families, 4:00 pm for adults (Duration: 30-45 min.), max. 12 people

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 6)

For over a century, the Earth's gravity field has been researched on the Telegrafenberg – now this fascinating history comes alive on the gravity field walking tour. Discover historic sites such as the historic pendulum hall, marvel at the modern Satellite Laser Ranging Station, and take a look at the impressive GRACE satellite models. At each station, it is explained vividly why the Earth's gravity field is important and how precise measurements advance our understanding of the water cycle and climate change, the structure of the Earth, or tectonic processes.

Location: Meeting point at the info stand
Time: 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm (Duration: 45-60 min.)

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 7)

At the Satellite Laser Ranging station you will get an overview of the technology that allows us to measure distances of more than 20000km at the milliliter level.  
Such technology has been used to successfully track GFZ-1, CHAMP, GRACE, etc. which ultimately allowed us to get a better understanding of the system Earth from space.

Location: Meeting point at the info stand
Time: 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm (Duration: approx. 30 min.), max. 12 people

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 8)

If you would like to get to know the historically interesting campus on Potsdam's Telegrafenberg, you are welcome to join one of the guided tours.

Location: Meeting point at the info stand
Time: 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm (Duration: approx. 60 min.)

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 9)

Visit the PISA electron microscopy labs and discover a world too small to see with the naked eye! During this 20- to 30-minute tour, you will get to know our electron microscopes and sample preparation equipment and learn how they show us the tiny world around us. Everyone is warmly welcome!

Location: Meeting point at the "Interface Geochemistry" stand (ID: 22)
Time: hourly from 12:30 pm (max. 4 people, Duration: approx. 30 min.)

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY, GAME (ID: 10)

Although we cannot perceive the Earth’s magnetic field, it is of great benefit to our environment and to science. Learn how the Earth’s magnetic field protects us from solar wind and cosmic radiation, and what it can reveal about the Earth’s interior. Test your knowledge of the Earth’s magnetic field in our quiz and conduct simple experiments on magnetism.

Location: House H

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 11)

How can we weigh trees with a laser? 3D laser scanning has become firmly established in modern forest remote sensing, whether from aircraft, drones, tripods, or from space. We show how we use drones and terrestrial laser scanning at GFZ to measure forest structure and carbon content. Directly over the survey areas, this information can serve both for analyzing forest structure and for calibrating satellite observations.

Location: in front of House H

INFO STAND (ID: 12)

Healthy peatlands help us mitigate climate change by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. However, the extent to which peatlands influence greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, and how this may change in the future, remains unclear. Using a range of measurement techniques, we study the exchange of greenhouse gases between peatlands and the atmosphere, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the role of peatlands in climate change mitigation.

Location: in front of House H

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 13)

Discover a career in science – with insights into inspiring researchers, your own research idea to build and touch, and training at GFZ. At our booth, there are three activities for learning, hands-on participation, and exploring:

1. Diversity Booth: "Women in Science"
We present women in science – including from GFZ. Learn more about their research, their career paths, and their experiences around diversity and equal opportunities. A booth for being amazed, asking questions, and starting conversations.

2. LEGO Workshop: "Build Your Research Idea"
How does research actually work? From the research question, through the investigation method, to the result – in our LEGO workshop for children and adults aged 7 and up, you'll learn the research process step by step. The best part: you build your very own research idea out of LEGO! Small groups, limited spots – secure your time slot: 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm & 2:30 pm

3. Information Booth: "Training at GFZ"
There are various career paths in science, and one of them can lead through vocational training. At our information booth, flyers are ready for you, and our trainees look forward to your questions and to exchanging ideas – from applications to everyday life in training.

We look forward to seeing you – just stop by or grab a spot in the workshop!

Time: Lego workshop: 12.30 pm, 1.30 pm & 2.30 pm
Location: House H

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY, LECTURE (ID: 14)

Geothermal energy offers great potential for renewable heat supply. A particularly large amount of this heat lies dormant deep underground in hot, crystalline rock. GeoLaB is an underground research laboratory designed to investigate how this heat source can be sustainably tapped and utilised to heat houses and flats in the future. Introducing the research at GeoLaB. We are displaying drill cores from the first GeoLaB exploration borehole, which reached a depth of 500 metres. At the same time, children can mould and explore the ‘hot planet Earth’.

Lecture: Introducing the GeoLaB research laboratory: Heat from crystalline rock as a sustainable source of geothermal energy
Speaker: Fiorenza Deon

Location: House H, Foyer & Lecture Hall 
Time: Lecture: 2:05 pm – 2:25 pm 

INFO STAND (ID: 15)

Climate change is altering our rainfall patterns: rain is becoming more difficult to predict and can vary significantly from place to place. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for the agricultural sector to know when and where water is available.

At our stand, we’ll be demonstrating how high-precision X-band weather radar data helps to monitor rainfall events at a local level and provide information for more efficient water management. And if you’re keen to find out more, you can test your knowledge with our quiz on remote sensing.

Location: House H

INFO STAND (ID: 16)

How can we bring about a sustainable transport revolution and create attractive neighbourhoods in collaboration with local residents? Researchers from RIFS present a participatory process in Berlin from start to finish.

Location: House H

INFO STAND (ID: 17)

Locations for wind and solar power plants should be selected in an environmentally sustainable manner based on social and economic criteria. This leads to conflicting societal goals. The Renewable Energy Location Finder is an interactive tool that allows stakeholders involved in planning, consulting, and public participation processes—as well as all citizens—to learn about the characteristics of potential locations for wind and solar energy.

Location: House H

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY, GAME (ID: 19)

What exactly is space weather, and how does it affect our daily lives? Join us on a journey from the Sun to the Earth! Discover how powerful solar storms form, why auroras dance across the sky, and what happens when particles from the Sun meet Earth’s magnetic field. Could a solar storm even affect GPS, satellites, or power grids? Come and play with us, test your knowledge, ask your questions, and find out just how turbulent the weather in space can be!

Location: House H

INFO STAND (ID: 20)

The management of high-level radioactive waste is one of the most challenging environmental tasks of modern society. The final disposal of nuclear waste is a project that will continue well into the next century, not only in Germany. Worldwide, final disposal in deep geological formations is favored. The search for a site for a deep geological repository is therefore a multi-generational social and political task with a geoscientific core.

Location: House H

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 20)

How do volcanologists work, and what do we know about volcanoes and their inner workings? The stand showcases the latest techniques, exhibits, rocks, drones and more relating to volcanic research.

Location: House H
 

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 22)

Minerals and microbes: discover the exciting research of the Interface Geochemistry team! At our stand, young and grown-up researchers can experiment themselves: look at microscopic algae, separate pigments, or watch live as minerals form. We tell you about our work, from the laboratory to the icy expanses of Greenland.

Location: House H

INFO STAND (ID: 23)

Everything inside the Earth is in motion: liquid metal flows within the outer core, generating the magnetic field. The Earth's mantle consists of rock, yet it is so hot that upward and downward currents still occur—albeit at a much slower pace. At the surface, tectonic plates move along with these currents, or subducting plates drive the flow within the mantle. When these plates grind against each other, earthquakes can result. Our display allows you to take a journey through these various layers of the Earth and learn more about them.

Location: House G

INFO STAND, EXPERIMENT (ID: 24)

Fiber optic cables are commonly used to carry information in the form of light. However, thanks to their physical properties and a new technology called fiber-optic sensing, these cables can also be used to record ground vibrations, such as those generated by earthquakes. At our stand, you can learn how fiber-optic sensing works, see live recordings of ground vibrations from volcanoes and cities around the World, and experiment with fiber-optic sensing by recording your own footsteps.  

Location: in front of House G

INFO STAND (ID: 25)

Earthquakes are windows into the Earth's interior; without them we would know little about the structure of the Earth. Find out where the Earth is currently shaking. Which strong earthquakes have occurred in the past?

Location: House G

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 26)

Satellites not only show the way, they also help us explore the Earth. On our interactive tour, discover the technology behind GPS, Galileo & Co. and learn how we measure and understand movements of the Earth using precise satellite signals.

Time: continuously (Duration: approx. 15 min.)
Location: House A17

GUIDED TOUR (ID: 27)

This tour through the historic rooms of the former Geodetic Institute provides insights into the architecture and historical significance of these places. On the first floor is the historic library of the Geodetic Institute, which is now used by the current Library as an archive. A highlight is the Pendulum Hall with the famous Reversion Pendulum. Between 1898 and 1904, Friedrich Jakob Kühnen and Philipp Furtwängler conducted the absolute determination of Earth's gravity here. The determined value became the international reference value in 1909.

Location: House A17, blue sofa in the reading room
Time: 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, max. 12 people

GAME (ID: 28)

How is scientific information organized so it can be found again? What role do metadata play? In this interactive activity, we demonstrate these concepts using LEGO® bricks. You build models together and experience how important good descriptions are. Through hands-on experimentation, you discover what information others need to rebuild your model – just like in science.

Location: House A17
Time: 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm (Duration: 45-60 min.), recommended for ages 16 and up, max. 10 participants

INFO STAND, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 29)

Where do earthquakes occur and how great is the earthquake hazard in Germany? And how do earthquakes affect buildings? Here you can build your own buildings and test them on the vibrating plate or you explore the earthquake risk at a location of your choice on maps and computers.

Location: House A19, Schülerlabor 1. OG

EXHIBITION, EXPERIMENT, HANDS-ON ACTIVITY, GAME (ID: 30)

MINERAL CHECK 💎💥🔍 
Come along to the GFZ School Lab stand and get hands-on: examine minerals and find out how to identify them like a pro. We look forward to seeing you!
Here’s what’s in store for you:
🎨 Streak test: Did you know that minerals have a secret ‘dust colour’? Use our scratch plates just like in a research lab.                                                 
🔨 Hardness test: Just how hard is the mineral really?                                                           
🧲 Magnet puzzle: Is the mineral magnetic?                                                                
💎 Exhibition: Minerals to marvel at.

Location: House A19, Schülerlabor 1. OG

HANDS-ON ACTIVITY (ID: 31)

The Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox is used for educative and interactive demonstration of natural processes and research questions in geophysics. The exhibit imparts knowledge particularly in fields of geomorphology and hydrology. The real analogue landscape of sand can be shaped at will. Simultaneously, the sand surface is scanned and the elevation model is projected back in real time. In addition to this elevation information the reality is augmented with water simulations. Thus rain, runoff, river routing and floods as well as dike breaks or dam failure could be shown in an impressive manner.

Location: House A19, Schülerlabor ground floor

EXHIBITION, INFO STAND (ID: 32)

From 1832 to 1849, the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam was the site of Relay Station No. 4 on the optical telegraph line between Berlin and Koblenz, which was used to exchange government dispatches and military orders. The faithful replica of the telegraph machine allows visitors to learn how it worked. In addition, information is provided on decoded dispatches and the daily lives of the telegraph operators.

Location: next to House A32

INFO STAND (ID: 33)

The ground beneath our feet is home to one of the most species-rich and functionally significant communities of life on our planet. A single teaspoon of garden soil contains more microorganisms than there are people living on Earth—a highly complex, dynamic network of bacteria, fungi, archaea, protozoa, and viruses. They purify our water, form humus, ensure plant growth, and store gigantic amounts of carbon. With the citizen science project Bodenwelten, you can become part of the research. 

Location: in front of House H