Copernicus Festival 2025

Mistery

Artificial intelligence, the secrets of the origins of the universe, the language of apes, and the DNA of our ancestors – Copernicus Festival 2025 brings it all together. For the eleventh time, the languages ​​of science and culture are meeting in Krakow to discuss what amazes, disturbs, and delights us in the modern world.

From May 20 to 25, the Museum of Engineering and Technology in Cracow (15 Wawrzyniec St.) will bring together scientists, artists and humanists to discuss the world’s greatest mysteries – from the cosmic ones to those hidden in the human brain and genetic code.

The Jagiellonian University is implementing the commissioned project “Copernicus Festival 2025-2027. Organization of three editions of an international festival popularizing science.” The commissioned project is financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Guests

Main Program

Day 1: Tuesday

May 19, 2026

SYMMETRY BREAKING

14:30
Conversation

Serengeti – the Motherland of Humankind

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Climatology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

Modern Cancer Therapies

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

Cryptography in Crypto

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Conversation

Opening Gala

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

Day 2: Wednesday

May 20, 2026

STRUCTURE

14:30
Conversation

On the Waves of the Universe

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Physics

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

No results found.

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

The Edge of the Universe, and The Frontiers of Physics

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

The OGLE Project: From Free-Floating Exoplanets to Primordial Black Holes

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Lecture

Decoding the Cosmos

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

22:00
Movie

U Are the Universe (dir. Pavlo Ostrikov, Belgium, Ukraine 2024, 101’)

Cinema Mikro

Free of charge

Day 3: Thursday

May 21, 2026

ADAPTATION

14:30
Conversation

Improbable Probability

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Complexity economics

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

Emerging technologies

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

AI Applications in Science

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Lecture

The Complex World

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

22:00
Movie

State of Emergency (dir. Jan Hřebejk, Czech Republic 2024, 100′)

Cinema Mikro

Free of charge

Day 4: Friday

May 22, 2026

EVOLUTION

13:00
Kraków City

City, science and business: an alliance of convenience or a union of choice?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

14:30
Conversation

All Shades of Green

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Synthetic Biology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

What exactly is life?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

Architektura genów a nowotwory

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Lecture

Why Shape Matters: How Cells Build Our Bodies?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

22:00
Movie

Heart of Oak (dir. Laurent Charbonnier, Michel Seydoux, France 2022, 80′)

Cinema Mikro

Free of charge

Day 5: Saturday

May 23, 2026

COGNITION

14:30
Conversation

Why we still need philosophy today?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Neurobiology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

Little Brains, Big Brains

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

Proportional Participatory Budgeting

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Lecture

What is consciousness, and could AI have it?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

22:00
Movie

Agent of Happiness (dir. Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó, Hungary, Bhutan 2024, 93’)

Cinema Mikro

Free of charge

Day 6: Sunday

May 24, 2026

RELATIONS

14:30
Conversation

The Age of Mammoths

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

15:45
Year in science

Paleoanthropology

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

17:00
Discussion

Are We Facing a Crisis in Relationships?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

18:30
ERC Talks

Why do we need linguistic diversity?

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

19:45
Lecture

A new history of Homo sapiens

Museum of Engineering and Technology in Krakow – Main Stage (Hall F)

Free of charge

Take part in the COPERNICUS FESTIVAL ‘26

All events are free of charge!

In person

Come to free events in Krakow

Online

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