The Science Picnic, organised by public broadcaster Polish Radio and the Copernicus Science Centre, takes place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the grounds of Warsaw's National Stadium.
This year's edition features 650 demonstrations across 168 tents, with 133 institutions from Poland and abroad presenting their projects.
The theme, Lifelike, reflects the vision of the event's originator, Prof. Łukasz Turski, who believed that science grows out of everyday experience and should be accessible to all.
Entry is free.
Polish Radio's stand will include an outdoor live-broadcast studio with journalist meet-and-greets and a behind-the-scenes look at radio production.
Visitors can also try Audionauci, a VR360 game in which players use joysticks to fly to the Earth's orbit and discover historical audio recordings along the way.
These include archive material featuring Polish leader Józef Piłsudski from the late 1920s, former US President John F. Kennedy speaking in Polish and a speech by France's Charles de Gaulle.
The experience is designed to appeal both to younger visitors and to adults who may remember some of the recordings firsthand.
Those who prefer to stay grounded can take on a radio-themed escape room, in which teams work through six puzzles inspired by the world of radio and this year's theme.
There is also a racing car simulator for those seeking a stronger adrenaline rush.
Polish Radio's motoring stand, put together by journalists and students, will display vehicles, including combustion and electric cars, built by young engineers, and host an off-road driving game that rewards strategy and creative thinking over speed.
Elsewhere at the picnic, visitors can see exoskeletons, Mars rovers and other technology on display.
In the new Cosmic Zone, those attending can learn about the Polish space sector and recreate experiments carried out by astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski during the Ignis mission aboard the International Space Station last year.
The Health Zone, meanwhile, offers a chance to see the Hugo surgical robot in action and try out medical simulators.
Those after a more hands-on experience can head to the Cult Experimentation Zone, where demonstrations include isolating DNA, working with non-Newtonian liquid and freezing roses in liquid nitrogen.
An English-language programme is available here.
(ał/gs)
Source: PolskieRadio24.pl, pikniknaukowy.pl