Maturita 2026

Vzhled

Stáhnout jako MD

Science and Inventions ​

1. Fields of science ​

  • Natural sciences:
    • Physics – matter, energy, motion, gravity, electricity.
    • Chemistry – elements, compounds, reactions.
    • Biology – living organisms, cells, DNA, evolution.
    • Astronomy – stars, planets, the universe.
    • Earth sciences – geology, meteorology.
  • Formal sciences: mathematics, logic, computer science.
  • Social sciences: psychology, sociology, economics, politics, history.
  • Applied sciences / engineering – use scientific knowledge to build things.

2. Scientific method ​

  1. Observation – notice something interesting.
  2. Hypothesis – propose an explanation.
  3. Experiment – test the hypothesis under controlled conditions.
  4. Record data accurately.
  5. Repeat to verify results.
  6. Conclusion – confirm or reject the hypothesis.
  7. Peer review and publication.

3. Lab equipment ​

  • Microscope – very small objects (cells).
  • Electron microscope – subatomic particles.
  • Beaker, test tube, flask, pipette, burette – measuring and mixing.
  • Bunsen burner – heating chemicals.
  • Petri dish – growing bacteria / fungi.
  • Lab coat, gloves, safety goggles – protection.
  • Stopwatch, scales, thermometer, pH meter.

4. Discovery vs. invention ​

  • Discovery = finding something that already exists in nature (e.g. gravity, America, penicillin).
  • Invention = creating something new that didn’t exist before (e.g. telephone, light bulb, computer).

5. Major inventions in history ​

  • The wheel – fast transport of goods and people.
  • Writing – preserving knowledge.
  • Printing press (Gutenberg, ~1440) – mass distribution of books.
  • Steam engine (Watt, 18th century) – Industrial Revolution.
  • Electric light bulb (Edison) – modern lighting.
  • Telephone (Bell, 1876) – long-distance communication.
  • Light bulb / electricity grid.
  • Internal combustion engine – cars.
  • Aeroplane (Wright brothers, 1903).
  • Penicillin (Fleming, 1928) – antibiotics, saved millions of lives.
  • TV, radio, computer.
  • Internet (1969 – ARPANET) → World Wide Web (Berners-Lee, 1989).
  • Smartphone (iPhone, 2007).
  • AI / large language models (ChatGPT, 2022 onward).

6. Famous scientists ​

  • Isaac Newton – laws of motion, gravity.
  • Galileo Galilei – used telescope to prove heliocentric model.
  • Nicholas Copernicus – Earth orbits the Sun.
  • Albert Einstein – theory of relativity, E = mc².
  • Marie Curie – radioactivity, polonium and radium.
  • Charles Darwin – theory of evolution.
  • Stephen Hawking – black holes, popular science.
  • Alan Turing – father of computer science, broke the Enigma code.
  • Nikola Tesla – alternating current.
  • Ada Lovelace – first computer programmer.

7. Famous Czech scientists / inventors ​

  • Jaroslav Heyrovský – Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1959) for polarography.
  • Otto Wichterle – soft contact lenses.
  • Prokop Diviš – early lightning rod (before Franklin).
  • Karel Čapek – not a scientist, but coined the word "robot" (in his play R.U.R., 1920).
  • Antonín Holý – important antiviral drugs (used in HIV / hepatitis B therapy).
  • Gregor Mendel – genetics (lived in Moravia).
  • Jan Evangelista Purkyně – Purkyně cells (brain), pioneer of microscopy.

8. Benefits of science ​

  • Better understanding of the world and the universe.
  • Improvements in medicine – longer, healthier lives.
  • Technology that makes work easier and safer.
  • Faster communication and travel.
  • Higher living standards overall.

9. Negative sides ​

  • Weapons – nuclear, chemical, biological.
  • Environmental damage – pollution, climate change, plastic, deforestation.
  • Ethical issues – cloning, genetic engineering, AI.
  • Surveillance and loss of privacy.
  • Job replacement by automation and AI.

10. Modern hot topics ​

  • Artificial intelligence – ChatGPT, image generators, autonomous vehicles.
  • Renewable energy – solar, wind, hydrogen.
  • Electric vehicles, batteries.
  • Space exploration – SpaceX, James Webb Telescope, Artemis program.
  • Genetics & biotech – CRISPR, mRNA vaccines.
  • Quantum computing.
  • Robotics.

11. Useful vocabulary ​

  • Theory, hypothesis, experiment, data, evidence, proof, result.
  • To discover, to invent, to develop, to design, to prove, to test.
  • Researcher, scientist, inventor, scholar.
  • Patent, prototype, publication, peer-reviewed.

12. Speaking strategy ​

Start with the fields of science. Mention the scientific method briefly. Distinguish discovery vs. invention. Give 2–3 inventions you couldn’t live without. Mention 1–2 Czech scientists you can talk about. Finish with a current trend (AI, space, electric cars).