News

On October 7th, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. The award went to Prof. John Clarke from the University of California, Berkeley, Prof. Michel Devoret from Yale University, and Prof. John Martinis from the University of California, Santa Barbara. They were honoured for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit, which laid the foundations for modern quantum technologies – from quantum computers to ultra-precise sensors.

Femtosecond laser systems with high average power and high pulse repetition rate are increasingly used in various fields of science and industry: material micromachining, biomedical imaging, spectroscopy and studies of ultrafast phenomena where high measurement speed and good signal-to-noise ratio are required. Such laser systems, with very high average power (over 100 watts), may also have potential applications in the defence sector.

Vilnius University (VU) invites pupils and anyone interested in studying to take part in its traditional event “Student for a Day” taking place from 20 to 24 October. Participants will have a unique opportunity to explore VU’s study programmes, University spaces, and vibrant community, as well as to experience what it is like to be a student.

Following the great success of the Arqus Dives activity on 26 September, organised by the Arqus Café team, registration for the next edition of the Arqus Cafés is now open. The Arqus Café is a virtual or on-site meeting place where students and staff from the Arqus partner universities can practice their language skills outside of the language classroom.

How to examine a cell quickly and effectively? Scientists from the Faculty of Physics at Vilnius University (VU), together with an international team, have developed the concept of an electronic high-frequency biosensor that allows reactions occurring in extremely small objects, such as cells, to be tracked with split-second precision.

Two visiting scientists are coming to the Laser Nanophotonics Group at the Laser Research Center of VU Faculty of Physics.

The international conference, EEDS25 – Extended Hanseatic meeting on Exciton Dynamics and Spectroscopy 2025, brought together scientists from Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Scotland, Norway, and beyond.

The Vilnius University Museum, in collaboration with the Faculty of Physics, has unveiled an exhibition titled “The Invisible Becomes Visible”, showcasing the rich history of physics as a science. At the opening event, Laurynas – representative of Physics Day (FiDi) – led us through a series of captivating experiments. Several exhibits from the Physics Museum in Saulėtekis have been temporarily relocated to the Vilnius University’s Observatory of Ideas. We invite you to visit the exhibition until 29 October.

The University of Lyon 1 invites students to apply for the ArchiFun Doctoral Programme “Architecture, Function and Dynamics in Life Sciences”. The call for applications is open until 2 November. 

Vilnius University (VU) pre-announces a call “My First Research Team” for young researchers to apply for group leader positions. The call offers an opportunity for 26 young scientists to establish their first independent research group and implement an original research project. The expected start date of research activities is no later than 1 September 2026.

The journal Electro Optics has published the annual Photonics100 2026 list, celebrating the 100 most influential people shaping the future of photonics – one of the key technologies of the 21st century. This year, the list includes three representatives from Lithuania. Considering the country’s small size, this is a remarkable achievement: with just 2.8 million people, Lithuania can be seen as the most photonics-productive nation in the world per capita, surpassing much larger players such as Germany, the United Kingdom, or the United States. This recognition once again highlights the strength and visibility of Lithuania’s photonics sector on the global stage.

Three Vilnius University (VU) students – Patrikas Styra, Eglė Lenkaitytė, and Rūta Lomsargytė – have returned from an intensive internship at the laboratory of CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, situated on the Swiss-French border. Over the course of several months, they immersed themselves in the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, gaining hands-on experience and contributing to cutting-edge scientific projects. Their work spanned advanced data analysis for the next-generation particle accelerator experiments, a virtual assistant for data analysis, and tools for experimental data quality monitoring– offering not only an incentive towards a deeper understanding of particle physics but also a chance to collaborate on global research initiatives.

The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) – a joint initiative between the EU, European countries, and private partners – has signed a €60 million contract with GÉANT – Europe’s leading collaboration platform for advanced network infrastructure and services for research and education. This project, to which Vilnius University (VU) is also contributing, aims to establish a secure, ultra-high-speed network interconnecting Europe’s major supercomputing, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing platforms. The new infrastructure is expected to accelerate advanced modelling and AI development across the continent.

On 30 September Vaida Marčiulionytė successfully defended her thesis titled “Supercontinuum Generation in Transparent Dielectrics at High Laser Repetition Rates”. Supervisor – Professor Dr habil. Audrius Dubietis.

Without quantum physics, modern physics wouldn’t be possible. However, professor Gediminas Juzeliūnas from Vilnius University (VU), a specialist in this field, jokingly admits that this area – at least for now – cannot be understood. Yes, we can predict and observe quantum phenomena, but their causes remain beyond the boundaries of our understanding. This paradox will be at the centre of discussions at the international conference "Human and More-than-human Futures: Innovating Technologies for Coexistence" taking place October 9-10, and initiated by Vilnius University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and consortium partners.

JSC "Optoman“ has established a scholarship to encourage students of the VU Faculty of Physics to pursue research in the field of photonics, particularly in areas related to the company’s activities.

Nomination and registration of candidates for the Faculty of Physics Council is taking place from 26 September 2025 until 7 November 2025 at 13:00.

On 29 September Erikas Atkočaitis successfully defended his PhD thesis “Fatigue Effect in Optical Coatings: Parametric Study of Laser Irradiation Conditions, Temporal Scaling, and Lifetime Analysis”. Supervisor – Associate Professor Dr Andrius Melninkaitis.

Decades without water, radiation, lack of oxygen – right next to us, there are tardigrades that can endure all this. Also known as “water bears” or “moss piglets”, they are the first and so far the only animals to have survived in open space. On September 18–20, the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory of Vilnius University (VU) hosted an international “Europlanet” astrobiology workshop, where students from different natural science backgrounds learned about these creatures, collected them, and studied them in the laboratory.

On 22 September, three Lithuanian universities, including Vilnius University (VU), signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to participate in the feasibility study for the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project.