Marking the Year of Science and Technology: Photo exhibition "Beauty of Science" opened at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow

The Cosmonautics and Aviation Centre at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (Moscow) launched a photo exhibition "Beauty of Science", which will run until July 31, 2021. It is a joint project of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre and the Polytechnic Museum.

Three exposition halls feature photographs of physical and chemical objects and structures, crystals and natural materials, shown with the help of scientific instruments. Visitors will see the unique beauty of research objects, usually available only to scientists. All photographs of objects of scientific research were taken by the specialists of the Kurchatov Institute right in the laboratories.

The first hall, entitled "Perception Tools", presents elements of complex mega-installations. For example, the installation of controlled thermonuclear fusion TOKAMAK (Toroidal Cameras with a Magnetic Coil), reveals a fusion process inside a hot plasma, similar to what happens on the Sun.

The "Secrets of Materials" section spotlights crystallography that reveals its secrets to visitors. One of the images shows protein crystals grown in zero gravity on the International Space Station. Guests will also see parts of metallic rhodium, entitled the "Shaggy Head". They resemble the fantastic shapes of some marine inhabitants of the barrier reefs in the South Pacific.

The third hall "Nature-like Technology" allows comprehending the world, secrets of new materials and objects, medicines and even power engineering. The photographs will tell about the research of scientists in this direction. For example, scientists from the Kurchatov Institute use in experiments a colony of cyanobacteria from the surface of Lake Baikal, clearly visible in many photographs. The substances produced by these bacteria help in the creation of new materials.

The exhibition is part of the events program of the Year of Science and Technology. It is the first joint project of the museum and the institute, implemented after the signing a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Russia, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, the Kurchatov Institute and the Polytechnic Museum.