Fire, flames and chemistry
Experimental lecture of the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung on September 5
On Friday, September 5, 2025, the Mülheim open-air stage will once again transform into a large open-air chemistry lab. Professor Ferdi Schüth from the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, together with his team, invites you to the experimental lecture “Fire, Flame and Chemistry.” The chemists from Mülheim have put their heads together and, alongside popular classics, will also include a few new experiments reflecting 111 years of fundamental research on the Kahlenberg.
“We’re still thinking about how to incorporate the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis—a fundamental and still highly relevant reaction that was discovered at our institute 100 years ago—into the show,” reveals Ferdi Schüth. At the time, the focus was on finding an efficient way to convert coal into liquid fuels. “We’ll see how we can ‘ignite’ this milestone in the institute’s history appropriately,” says Schüth.
Time and again, the team at the MPI comes up with exciting and spectacular experiments to captivate the audience. The show also includes fascinating insights from the world of molecules, presented in an entertaining way. It begins at nightfall, around 8:15 PM. Due to high demand, early arrival is recommended. Entry starts at 6 PM with pre-booked free tickets. The beer garden will be open, and food trucks will be available on-site. To set the mood, the MPI campus band “Energy Converters” will perform live starting at 7 PM, bringing along classics from the history of rock and pop.
Admission is only possible with pre-booked tickets – now available at www.regler-produktion.de
The event is, as always, free of charge – but due to limited seating, pre-registration is required via a link on the website of Regler-Produktion (www.regler-produktion.de). Admission is only permitted until 7:45 PM with the tickets booked there. From 7:45 PM onwards, any unclaimed seats will be made available until the venue reaches capacity. Tickets not shown by 7:45 PM will become invalid.
As the experiments can only be performed in good weather, the event will unfortunately be cancelled in case of rain. Weather-related updates will be posted shortly beforehand on the institute's website.
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