Our Geist Heidelberg brochure is ready! The printed version will be available at all familiar locations in two weeks. For those who can’t wait, the digital version is already online – browse through it today and secure tickets for your personal highlights.
Under the motto CoScience: Science Needs Collaboration, we invite you from October 17 to December 09 for the 15th time to our science festival Geist Heidelberg. Together with renowned partners such as Heidelberg University, the German Cancer Research Center, the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation, and many other institutions, we bring current research into direct conversation with society.
Neurologist Simone Spuler opens the festival with a lecture on the use of stem cells and the CRISPR gene-editing tool to treat muscle diseases. Frank Winkler, recipient of the 2025 Brain Prize, explains how brain tumor cells communicate with nerve cells – a breakthrough for new therapies. Ana Pombo shows how DNA controls our genes and contributes to a better understanding of diseases.
Maria Leptin and Wolfgang Wick discuss political interference in science under Trump and the new significance of Germany as a research hub.
Giulia Enders takes the audience on an entertaining journey through the human body. Elaine Chew sheds light on the role of music in heart research, while Christoph Biermann explores the power of chance in football. Physicist Metin Tolan humorously explains why Santa Claus has the toughest job in the world.
To conclude the festival, Nobel Prize winner Aaron Ciechanover speaks about the opportunities and risks of personalized medicine.
We warmly invite you to join our interdisciplinary exchange with leading researchers and young talents. Secure your tickets for your personal highlights – advance sales are now open.
We look forward to seeing you!
Dear visitors of our International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg,
We look back on many stimulating events this fall, where we heard the latest findings from a wide range of disciplines that sparked many lively discussions between our guests and the audience. Thank you for coming, for your curiosity, and your enthusiasm for debate!
This 14th Geist Heidelberg Festival was the last one curated by our long-time director and festival founder, Jakob Köllhofer. He retired from the DAI at the end of 2024. We thank him very much for many outstanding lectures and conferences, for his range of thought, and for the ever-new horizons he opened to us as a team and to our visitors. We wish him all the best, happiness, and well-being for his future endeavors.
Together with you we look forward to the 15th festival in fall 2025 – under the direction of our new director, Lena Jöhnk.
And, as Jakob Köllhofer used to say: stay tuned!
Kind regards from the DAI,
Your DAI team
A series of warm-up events forms the preliminary program for this year’s International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg. On Tuesday, October 8, at 8 p.m., virologist Hendrik Streeck will analyze the past corona pandemic and its consequences for our society. On Friday, October 11, at 8 p.m., biologist Josef H. Reichholf will take a closer look at the evolutionary history of humans and present the latest research findings on the question of what humans actually are and why they fail to behave in a future-oriented manner. On Thursday, October 17, at 8 p.m., the well-known psychiatrist Manfred Spitzer will explain the extent to which artificial intelligence is already superior to humans and the dangers this poses for the future.
Here you can find the entire festival program from October to December 2024.
Here we go again! The 14th International Science Festival Geist Heidelberg takes place this year from October 18th to December 17th. We will be featuring distinguished national and international speakers from the world of science– including four Nobel Prize winners, popular science communicators and promising young researchers. With their help, we will discuss, debate, and disclose pressing issues of our time while presenting the latest findings on topics ranging from neuroscience, astrophysics, biology, philosophy all the way to artificial intelligence.
Don’t miss our kick-off lecture with Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society and talks by Nobel Prize winners Venki Ramakrishnan, Benjamin List, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhardt and Aaron Ciechanover. As we strive to democratize scientific knowledge, be sure to listen to science communicators Harald Lesch, Mai Thi Nguyen Kim, Lucy Cooke and many more!
The brochure with all events of the International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg is now available for you as an online brochure. Secure your tickets for your personal highlights now.
Here is a small insight into the extensive program:
On November 12, the philosopher and deputy chairman of the German Ethics Council, Julian Nida-Rümelin, will discuss the effects of cancel culture and its significance for democracy in today’s world. He pleads for independent thinking and tolerating other opinions.
John C. Mather, astrophysicist, Nobel laureate and project manager of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, will provide insights into his award-winning research on space and open up new perspectives on the universe on November 16 at 8 pm.
On December 3, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, human rights activist and lawyer Shirin Ebadi will give a lecture in the Neue Aula of Heidelberg University as part of the three-day Empathy Conference. In it, she will discuss the ongoing protests against the Iranian regime since 2022, especially by Iranian women, and how we can provide support from the outside.
The three-day Empathy Conference from December 01 to 03 is characterized by strong women: U.S. writer Siri Hustvedt, renowned sociologist Eva Illouz and the Peace Nobel laureate and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi will address the topic of empathy from different perspectives. Tickets are now available online.
Advance ticket sales for all events of the 13th International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg are now open.
Secure your tickets for your personal highlights today at DAI-Ticketshop or at all known Reservix advance booking offices.
We are looking forward to an exciting festival autumn with illustrious guests and lively discussions.
From black holes and climate change to AI and ChatGPT.
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, starting at 1 p.m., the German-American Institute (DAI) Heidelberg will launch advance ticket sales for its 13th International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg. From October 8th to December 15th, 2023, high-caliber speakers from the national and international scientific community – including five Nobel laureates, well-known science journalists, and talented young researchers – will discuss the pressing issues of our time, present the latest findings around key topics such as artificial intelligence, digitization, neuroscience, biology, climate change, and astrophysics, and discuss their relevance to society together with audiences.
The Nobel laureates
The science festival will start with a lecture by Nobel laureate Kip Thorne on black holes and gravitational waves on Sunday, October 8th, at 5 pm.
In addition, three more Nobel Prize winners will be making guest appearances at the DAI, all within the span of a week! Astrophysicist John C. Mather will trace the success story of the James Webb Space Telescope on Thursday, November 16th, at 8 pm. Biochemist Aaron Ciechanover will explore the interaction between bioethics and medicine on Saturday, Nov. 18th, at 8 p.m., and on Tuesday, Nov. 21st at 8 p.m., chemist Ben L. Feringa presents his award-winning molecular machines.
Well-known science journalists
How AI is transforming humanity and the planet will be discussed by science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar on Friday, Nov. 3rd, at 8 p.m. Star philosopher Richard David Precht will also touch on the same subject on Monday, Dec. 4th, at 8 p.m. Astrophysicist Harald Lesch will speak on Friday, November 10th, at 8 p.m., focusing on “Nature and Freedom” in the context of climate change.
Additional highlights
The renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins will be our guest on Saturday, November 11th, at 8 p.m., with his lecture “Fancy for Science.” Henner Gimpel and Robert Lepenies will discuss the controversial chatbot, ChatGPT, and its societal implications, on Thursday, November 2nd, at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, November 15th, at 8 p.m., respectively. Biologist Michael Succow and forest scientist Lutz Fähser will discuss climate change and its impact on our forests – especially near Heidelberg – on Sunday, November 5th, at 5 pm. On Sunday, November 12th, at 5 p.m., we will discuss the phenomenon of Cancel Culture and its impact on our democracy with renowned philosopher Julian Nida-Rümelin. On Wednesday, December 6th, at 8pm, ESA Director Günter Hasinger will explain why the history of the universe is currently being rewritten in light of new research findings.
Taking place from December 1st to December 3rd, strong, inspiring women will lead the three-day Empathy Conference: American writer Siri Hustvedt, renowned sociologist Eva Illouz, and Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist, Shirin Ebadi, will address the topic of empathy from unique perspectives.
Tickets & Info
The entire festival program and tickets are available online at dai-heidelberg.de and at certified Reservix advance booking offices.
Here you can find the programs of the last years of the International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg. Flip through and review past highlights!
