ultra memoria cosmica | Exhibition in Memory of Marietta Blau

History of Science at Lofty Heights

History was made in an inconspicuous construction hut high above Innsbruck: the Victor Franz Hess measuring station, founded in 1931 by Nobel Prize winner Victor Franz Hess, was the world's first high-altitude laboratory for researching cosmic radiation. As early as 1912, Hess had detected previously unknown radiation during a spectacular balloon flight at an altitude of over 5000 m – it increased with altitude and therefore had to originate from space. Even today, cosmic radiation remains one of the great mysteries of physics – and is being researched worldwide. The historic measuring station was designated a “Historic Site” by the European Physical Society in 2022.

Marietta Blau – A Forgotten Pioneer

In 1937, another scientific sensation occurred at this location: Marietta Blau and her assistant Hertha Wambacher observed for the first time how a high-energy particle smashed an atomic nucleus – documented on special photographic plates. But after Austria's annexation by the Nazi regime, Blau, who was persecuted as a Jew, had to flee into exile. Her research was continued by her assistant without proper recognition. Blau is representative of many women whose scientific achievements have been rendered invisible – due to political circumstances, discrimination, or deliberate exclusion.

Ultra | Memory Meets the Present

The Ultra project sends a powerful message about visibility and remembrance. It addresses the structural barriers that women in science have faced and continue to face, focusing on social issues such as equality, recognition, and participation. An accompanying lecture with a panel discussion featuring a physicist from the University of Innsbruck establishes a connection to current research and invites dialogue on gender issues in science.

Art Meets Research: A Sound Laboratory of the Cosmos

In Ultra, artist Tim Otto Roth explores the connection between art and science with an immersive light and sound installation that brings Marietta Blau's scientific legacy to life. Roth's works operate at the intersection of natural science and aesthetic experience. His artistic practice includes collaborations with institutions such as the Max Planck Society, NASA, the IceCube Observatory, and the European Southern Observatory. The focus is on the sound laboratory [aiskju:b], specially adapted for Innsbruck, consisting of 444 illuminated loudspeakers fed with data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. What is measured there in Antarctica becomes a sound and light score in Ultra, allowing visitors to experience cosmic processes with their senses. The title Ultra not only refers to the old name for cosmic radiation, “ultra radiation,” but also invites us to engage with phenomena that are everywhere but remain hidden from our senses.

Exhibition Program

The exhibition is generally open from September 5 to October 24, Fridays and Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. additional to the following events:

September 19 | 7 p.m.
Lecture by Anita Reimer (professor of astrophysics) on the origin of cosmic rays, followed by a panel discussion with Anita Reimer, Brigitte Mazohl, Carmen Brucic, and Karoline Irschara (from atom*innen).

September 27 | 1 p.m.
Tour of the Victor Franz Hess Research Station at Hafelekar with an introduction by Emerich Kneringer. Meeting point: Hafelekar Research Station. Registration is required.

October 24 | 7 p.m.
Closing event for the KG 17 project ULTRA memoria cosmica.