Radio Prague International - latest articles

A new street art exhibition has appeared on a wall outside the Czech embassy in Paris, celebrating the accession of the Czech Republic to the presidency of the EU Council.

Under a proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Act young people in Czechia would be allowed to start driving at the age of 17 under the supervision of a parent or another experienced driver with a clean slate. While teenagers living in the country can’t wait to see it approved, urban dwellers are in no rush to get behind the wheel.

In spring of this year, Czech archaeologists unearthed an incredible find – the previously undiscovered tomb of an ancient Egyptian dignitary in Abusir, Egypt. The discovery, announced on Friday on the Czech Institute of Egyptology’s Facebook page, allowed the team to garner important information about the turbulent period surrounding the beginning of Persian rule in Egypt.

The Moravian metropolis of Brno is paying tribute to its most famous citizen – the Augustinian monk, mathematician and biologist, widely known as “the father of genetics” – Johann Gregor Mendel, born 200 years ago. The city is celebrating the anniversary with numerous events: a mass at the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the reconstruction of Mendel’s greenhouse at St. Thomas’ Abbey where he conducted his genetic research on pea plants and an international Mendel Genetics Conference at the university that bears his name.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog’s name doesn’t lie – it is indeed part dog, part wolf! Created for the Czechoslovak border guard in the late 1950s, the breed’s creator, Karel Hartl, wanted to improve the stamina and strength of working dogs by crossing German shepherds with Carpathian grey wolves.

The European Space Agency has released images capturing the recent temperature extremes in a number of European cities, including Prague. The photos, taken from the International Space Station, has revealed heat islands in the densely populated areas of the city, where temperatures reached over 45 degrees Celsius.

Scientists at the Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry are developing a next generation measuring device that could help in future attempts to mine asteroids in space. Called HANKA, the machine should be able to determine the compositions of atoms and molecules on remote space objects, thereby allowing for the better mapping of resources and even possible extra-terrestrial life forms in our solar system.

Czechia’s largest and most popular music festival, Colours of Ostrava, closed its gates this weekend after four days of concerts and events held in the industrial complex of Dolní Vítkovice. Attendees were treated to headline acts such as The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and LP. But one act in particular went the extra mile to impress their fans.

A trio of Czech mountaineers is setting out to conquer Masherbrum, the 22nd highest peak in the world and the ninth highest in Pakistan. Radoslav Groh, Marek Holeček and Tomáš Petreček are going to climb the western side of the mountain, which has never been attempted before.

The Guarneri Trio Prague is one of the world’s most renowned piano trios. Founded by Ivan Klanský on piano, Čeněk Pavlík on violin, and Marek Jerie on the cello, the Trio has had the same line-up since 1986, and has just finished its 35th season.