EC2U Science Battle

Science Battle in Turku, Finland

Image: Hanna Oksanen

What is a Science Battle?

A Science BattleExternal link is a scientific competition: for the smartest solution, the best approach, the most entertaining explanation. It is a public display of how scientists tackle a new research question while also being creative and "thinking outside the box." The format was developed at the University of Turku (Finland) in 2016 and is now being expanded as a competition between the seven members of the European Campus of City Universities (EC2UExternal link) university alliance.

In 2021, Jena's EC2U partner universities Pavia (Italy), Poitiers (France) and Turku (Finland) competed against each other. Pavia won the Science Battle 2021. In 2022, the University of Jena competed with teams from Coimbra (Portugal), Iasi (Romania), Salamanca (Spain). In 2023, Jena will face Pavia in the final which will be held at Poitiers.

How does a Science Battle work?

In the third EC2U Science Battle, two teams of six researchers each from different disciplines will compete against each other. The teams are given the same question and a few minutes to solve it; then they must present their answer. The moderators talk to the team and the audience on site and online. As in a television show, the other six EC2U universities public viewing locations are connected via livestream.

The judges from Iasi, Pavia, Poitiers, Salamanca and Turku award points for quick wit, entertainment factor and logical reasoning. The audience awards additional points via clapping or online-vote.

Each team has three jokers: a phone call, an internet search or someone clever in the audience on site.

The Science Battle will be held in English.

On youtube you can watch the Science Battle 2021 as a full videoExternal link or check out the highlights on youtubeExternal link. You may watch the 2022 Science Battle on YouTubeExternal link .

Owl with EC2U logo

Graphic: Collage: Liana Franke (Adobe Stock)

In the Science Battle, the teams solve questions from the audience. To get an idea of what kind of questions have made it into the last Science Battles, here are a few examples:

• Why are stars and other celestial bodies like Earth almost round, but our solar system flat?
• Is it ethically better to eat insects than meat?
• Why do water pipes freeze faster when the frost subsides?
• Why are humans so selfish?
• How many balloons does it take to lift an 80kg person into the air?
• How can we control the lack of oxygen in the Baltic Sea?
• What is the decisive factor in the fight against cancer?

And which question will you ask the researchers?

Everyone can ask questions - the people in the Jena region as well as members of the Jena universities.

Please mail your questions (keyword "Science Battle") to ec2u@uni-jena.de by 9 September 2023.

Oh yes... and of course you had to be there to see if your question made it into the live show!