Astrocent

On 1 May 2026, the final signatures from the European Commission and the project coordinator officially gave the green light to ET-COMPASS🧭 (COordination, Management, Planning And Strategic Support) - a new European project supporting the Einstein Telescope on its path towards the implementation phase. The project will start in early 2027.

Astrocent is very happy to be part of this international collaboration. Within ET-COMPASS, we will lead activities related to Strategic Communication, supporting ETO communication and dissemination efforts aimed at widening participation and strengthening the international visibility of the Einstein Telescope as an ESFRI project.

ET-COMPASS brings together nine research institutes from across Europe and will help advance key organisational aspects necessary for the future of the Einstein Telescope.

Read more in the official announcement⬇️
https://lnkd.in/gsUCWXNu

Is science in full bloom - or in crisis?

Our director, Prof. Leszek Roszkowski, joined an intriguing debate asking this bold question - and you can now watch it online!

Together with leading experts - Prof. Krzysztof Górski, cosmologist and Secretary General of the Copernican Academy, and Prof. Marek Sarna, President of the Polish Astronomical Society and specialist in stellar evolution - Prof. Roszkowski explored the state of Polish science, its future, and the technologies that may reshape it.

If you’re curious about where science is heading, what breakthroughs may be closer than we think, and how research can shape our future, this is a conversation worth watching.

Hosted by Łukasz Szwej, the debate also featured sharp, thought‑provoking questions from viewers - some of which pushed the discussion into unexpected territory.

🎥 Co‑organizers: Radio Katowice & Planetarium Śląskie
📺 Channel: Nie z tej Ziemi. Poznaj świat nauki

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLHzp8SbDCU

The Astrocent Take Over presentations are now live on YouTube!

Relive our celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026 and meet the researchers pushing the boundaries of dark matter science.

🎥 Watch the talks online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhixh5aD65IIJ3WlA1E334CmRR-iCrray

- Clea Sunny (Astrocent, NCAC PAS): Dark Matter 101
A clear and engaging introduction to what we know (and don’t know yet) about dark matter.

- Dr. Rita Antonietti (Astrocent, NCAC PAS): Search for dark matter: how do we do it?
An inside look at the experimental techniques and detector technologies driving dark matter research.

- Prof. Michela Lai (Queen’s University): A quick look at Women in Science
A thoughtful reflection on representation, progress, and the road ahead for women in STEM.

These talks were recorded during “Astrocent Take Over: Meet the Women Exploring the Dark Matter’s Riddles” held on 13 February 2026.




Organisers:

Astrocent | NCAC PAS • Centrum Astronomiczne im. M. Kopernika PAN • Queen's University • DEAP‑3600 • Centre Cosmos, sciences et sociétés (APC, Université Paris Cité) • CNRS

🔭✨ New episode of the “Człowiek 2.0” podcast is out today with Prof. Marcin Kuźniak joining as the guest!

Dark matter makes up most of the Universe — yet we still cannot see it. In today’s episode, Prof. Marcin Kuźniak explains how scientists are trying to capture traces of this elusive substance and what cutting‑edge technologies are being developed at Astrocent to push the boundaries of modern astrophysics.

You’ll hear about:
✨ why dark matter outweighs ordinary matter 5 to 1,
🔬 how researchers search for ultra‑rare particle interactions,
💡 the key role of liquid argon,
⛏️ why detectors must be placed up to 2 km underground,
🌍 and how astrophysics innovations are already supporting medicine and infrastructure monitoring.

Prof. Kuźniak also discusses the DarkSide and Argo collaborations, current technological challenges, and the vision of transforming Astrocent into an independent PAS institute.

It’s a story about science at the limits of the possible — and the people determined to reveal what has never been seen before. 💫

🎧 Watch the new episode now on the Polish Academy of Sciences YouTube channel! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6kAKoR5i1A

The podcast is made in Polish.