Research of cosmic rays at NPI on the podcast Hlas na poušti Milana Mikuleckého (Voice in the Desert of Milan Mikulecký)

22. 08. 2025

In early August, Dr. Ondřej Ploc from the Department of Radiation Dosimetry was a guest on the podcast. His research team focuses on cosmic radiation and high-energy atmospheric physics, including the development of specialized detectors and dosimeters for use at high-mountain observatories, on aircraft, and aboard spacecraft.

Dr. Ondřej Ploc also focuses on the detection of specific atmospheric phenomena, such as terrestrial gamma flashes (TGF) occurring during severe storms, or long-term radiation associated with storm activity, known as TGE (thunderstorm ground enhancements).

Other topics covered in the Voice in the Desert podcast include:
How much does cosmic radiation affect our lives?
How do you fly balloons into the stratosphere and where are they allowed to land?
Cosmic radiation currently limits human travel to Mars.
The intensity of cosmic radiation can now be monitored online.
The risk to pilots increases sharply during storms due to gamma-ray bursts.
Cosmic radiation can also have positive uses, e.g., for scanning objects.
Real-life examples: radiation did not cause deaths at Fukushima; the risk was evacuation.

You can listen to the full podcast here (CZ only).

Research of cosmic rays at NPI on the podcast Hlas na poušti Milana Mikuleckého (Voice in the Desert of Milan Mikulecký)

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