Lecture by prof. Kudrle at Mendel's days 2025

You are invited to the czech lecture at Mendel's Days 2025, an event organized by MUNI Cultural center and Mendel Museum.

Vít Kudrle – Is Fire Trully One of the fundamental Elements That Make Up the World?

Ancient philosophers imagined the world as being composed of four fundamental elements. But how does modern physics see it? If we broaden the concept of fire just a bit, we’ll find that the philosophers weren’t entirely wrong. We’ll introduce the concept of plasma, answer whether it truly is the fourth state of matter, and explore where plasma can be found in nature. We’ll also look at how humanity has managed – and continues to strive – to tame this wild element and harness it for the benefit of society. And finally, we’ll return to the question posed in the title: Is the world really made of fire?