The Prague Physics Colloquium

THURSDAY 17 September 2026

prof. Neil Turok
Higgs Chair of Theoretical Physics at Edinburgh and director emeritus of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

A Simpler Cosmology

Abstract:
Observations of the universe on the largest and smallest accessible scales have revealed surprising simplicity. In contrast, the most popular theoretical frameworks predicted a slew of new particles, forces and dimensions on the tiniest, subatomic scales, and a chaotic multiverse on the greatest. The observations should make us reconsider our assumptions. Might there be better explanations for the basic properties of the universe?
I’ll outline a new, simpler unified paradigm, based on the known laws of physics and CPT symmetry, which explains (i) the large-scale geometry of the universe and the primordial density perturbations, without inflation, (ii) the dark matter as a right handed neutrino, without any other BSM particle, (iii) why there are three generations of elementary particles, without strings. The new picture provides clues about quantum gravity, the big bang and the arrow of time as well as a potential resolution of the gauge-gravity hierarchy puzzle.

Bio:
Prof. Neil Turok is the inaugural Higgs Chair of Theoretical Physics at Edinburgh and Roger Penrose Distinguished Visiting Chair, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada. He was born in South Africa to activist parents in the anti-apartheid movement. After studies in Cambridge and London and appointments in California and Chicago, he was Professor of Physics at Princeton, Chair of Mathematical Physics at Cambridge and Director of the Perimeter Institute.
Neil develops and tests theories of the universe and its basic laws, from the big bang to the far future. Many of his team’s predictions have been confirmed, including correlations between the distribution of galaxies and the cosmic microwave background radiation. He has proposed a new paradigm for cosmology, connecting particles and forces to the dark matter, dark energy and primordial density variations. Its predictions will be tested in the coming decade.

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THURSDAY 22 October 2026

Dr. Michal Vališka
Leads the Quantum Materials group at the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University

When Superconductivity Becomes Topological: Symmetry, Purity, and Quantum Materials

Abstract:
Unconventional superconductors host some of the most intriguing states of quantum matter. Unlike conventional superconductors, their superconducting order parameter can possess a complex symmetry, contain nodes, break additional symmetries, and in some cases give rise to non-trivial topology and Majorana quasiparticles.
In this talk, I will introduce the basic ideas connecting unconventional and topological superconductivity and discuss how these concepts can be addressed experimentally. A central challenge is that many of the relevant phenomena are extremely sensitive to disorder, making ultraclean single crystals essential for revealing their intrinsic properties. I will illustrate these ideas using uranium-based superconductors, with particular emphasis on UTe₂, whose remarkable phase diagram provides a unique playground for studying the interplay of superconductivity, magnetism, symmetry, and topology.
Finally, I will present the motivation and research directions of STiUS – Symmetry and Topology in Ultraclean Superconductors, a five-year JUNIOR STAR project funded by the Czech Science Foundation. The project aims to identify and characterize intrinsic topological superconductors by combining ultraclean crystal growth with experiments at very low temperatures and under extreme magnetic fields and pressures.

Bio:
Michal Vališka is a researcher at the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, where he leads the Quantum Materials group. His research focuses on unconventional superconductivity and strongly correlated electron systems, particularly uranium-based quantum materials. He combines the growth of high-quality single crystals with low-temperature experiments under extreme conditions, including high magnetic fields and pressure. He is the principal investigator of the Czech Science Foundation JUNIOR STAR project STiUS – Symmetry and Topology in Ultraclean Superconductors, which aims to understand the links between superconducting symmetry, topology, and material purity and to identify intrinsic topological superconductors.

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THURSDAY 19 November 2026

Prof. Ulrike Diebold, Dr. h.c.
Vice President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences

Surface investigations of insulating materials: Challenging, yet rewarding

Abstract:
The surface structure and morphology, as well as the most common defects, strongly influence the physical and chemical properties of materials. Compared with metals and semiconductors, much less is known about the surfaces of true insulators with a large band gap. In the talk, I will give an overview of the value of non-contact AFM, in particular when operated with judiciously terminated tips [1], to investigate the atomic-scale properties of several materials, including alumina [2,3], silver iodide [4], and silicates [5–9], which belong to the most common minerals on Earth.

[1] B. Schulze Lammers, et al., Nanoscale 13, 13617 (2021).
[2] J. I. Hütner, et al., Science, 385, 1241 (2024).
[3] J. I. Hütner-Reisch, et al., Nature Comms, 17 (2026) 4692
[4] J. I. Hütner, et al. Science Advances, 11, 44 (2025) eaea2378
[5] G. Franceschi, et al., Nature Comms, 14, 208 (2023).
[6] G. Franceschi, et al., J. Chem. Phys., 160, 164312 (2024)
[7] G. Franceschi, et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 15, 15 (2024)
[8] L. Lezuo, et al., Nanoscale, 18 (25) (2026) 13422–13432
[9] A. Conti, et al., ACS Nano, 20, 10456 (13) (2026)

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THURSDAY 10 December 2026

Prof. Nir Bar-Gill, The Hebrew University

Quantum coherence, control and sensing in Diamond

Abstract:
The study of quantum coherence, dynamics and the development of novel quantum technologies has been a long-standing goal in quantum information science.
In this talk I will address these topics through the platform of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) spins in diamond, which have emerged over the past several years as well-controlled quantum systems, with promising applications ranging from quantum information science to magnetic sensing. I will first briefly introduce the NV center system, as well as the experimental methods used for measuring NVs and controlling their quantum spin dynamics.
I will then present a general theoretical framework we developed for Hamiltonian engineering in an interacting spin system. This framework is applied to the coupling of the spin ensemble to a spin bath, including both coherent and dissipative dynamics. Using these tools, I will present our recent results on enhanced coherence in many-body spin systems, surpassing the current state-of-the-art and providing a path toward studies of disordered many-body spin problems and applications in quantum technologies, such as enhanced sensing.
I will also describe our work in using NV-based magnetic microscopy to implement quantum sensing in various modalities. Demonstrations of NV sensing capabilities will include measurements of 2D vdW magnetic materials, novel hybrid NV-atomic vapor vector magnetic sensing, and sensing in biological scenarios.
Finally, I will describe our recent work on optimal quantum transport in dissipative, disordered spin systems. Motivated by experimental efforts toward the creation of mesoscopic spin baths through local implantation, we studied and identified emergent timescales for transport in spin networks with dephasing. These results could lead to optimized transport regimes and eventually to spin buses for quantum information transfer.

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THURSDAY 21 January 2027

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schumm (Vienna University of Technology)

Searching for dark matter with the Thorium nuclear clock

Bio: Thorsten Schumm is an Associate Professor at the Vienna University of Technology. He is exploring novel approaches to precision measurements and metrology, using quantum effects and resources. Specifically, he is exploring nuclear transitions for the construction of high-precision frequency standards, as well as matter-wave interferometry with collective many-body wavefunctions.

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