The Biennial, a large open laboratory for young people
During the Biennial, a special program will be held that aims to bring science closer to young people through workshops, experiments, talks and immersive experiences. Its main objective is to encourage scientific and technological vocations, promote a critical view of knowledge and make visible the diversity that drives the STEM ecosystem. Let's take a look at the main activities dedicated to the youngest audience.
Coding the future: exploring artificial intelligence
In this activity, participants will discover what lies behind one of the most influential technologies of our time: artificial intelligence. After a brief introduction on how models are trained and how data is generated, young people will be able to put this knowledge into practice by training a system capable of recognizing images.
The activity includes a reflection on data biases, their social and ethical implications, and how AI is shaping our daily lives. A proposal designed to understand, experiment and debate the technological future.
Tuesday, November 18 · 17.30 – 19.30 h
Participatory Workshop at the Convent de Barcelona Activa
Science Night: a unique experience to experience science
The Biennial also proposes to experience science in a different way, through one of the most anticipated events of the program: Science Night, which will take place on Saturday, November 22 in El Born. Barcelona History Museum. An evening open to everyone that combines dissemination, music, art and live experimentation.
Among the highlighted activities we will find:
- Presentation of the Cosmic Piano, an instrument that converts the passage of cosmic particles into musical notes, making the Language of the universe audible.
- On Inaudibility of Quantum Sounds, a sound installation that explores the límits of hearing and invisible quantum vibrations.
- Dorkbot Barcelona, with the motto “people who do strange things with electricity” , will bring together artists, engineers and creators who experiment with energy and Technology in a playful and unpredictable way.
Science to listen to: live podcast
The Biennial can also be listened to through the live program of the Marea Nocturna podcast, a reference in the world of fantasy and horror cinema. Presented by Àngel Sala, director of the Sitges International Film Festival, and by critics Desirée de Fez, Xavi Sánchez Pons and Jordi Sánchez-Navarro, the program combines analysis and cinephile passion with a close and informative tone. In this special edition for the City and Science Biennial 2025, the podcast will explore the influence of quantum physics on fantasy and horror cinema, and how it has inspired stories, atmospheres and imaginaries that connect science and fiction. An opportunity to experience science from another language: that of words and listening.
Friday, November 21 at 8p.m.
Live podcast at El Born Barcelona History Museum
Exploring Quantum Entanglement: A Live Bell Test
A unique opportunity to observe live a fundamental phenomenon of quantum mechanics: particle entanglement. Through a real experiment with photons generated in nonlinear crystals, participants perform a simplified Bell test, adjust polarizers and record measurements to verify the violation of the CHSH inequality, one of the most fascinating tests of quantum behavior.
Wednesday, November 19 at 5:00 p.m
El Born. Museu d'Història de Barcelona
Quantum Cryptography for Secure Communications
The workshop invites participants to discover how quantum physics can protect our digital communications. In an increasingly interconnected world, where much of the sensitive information circulates over the internet, quantum cryptography offers systems capable of detecting any attempt at espionage using the properties of photons. Young people will learn to reproduce an optical communication system and create their own cryptographic code, experiencing in a practical and playful way how research can make the data of the future more secure.
Thursday, November 20 at 5:00 p.m.
El Born. Museu d'Història de Barcelona
Cosmic Rays in the City
Discover cosmic rays, extremely high-energy particles that reach Earth from the far reaches of the universe. Participants will learn how these cosmic messengers can be detected and what they tell us about the origin and composition of the universe. Through practical experiments, the activity shows how science can make visible what is normally invisible, connecting astrophysical research with everyday experience.
Friday, November 21 at 5:00 p.m.
El Born. Museu d'Història de Barcelona
Sharing experiences in the ICT field: experiences of a young professional
This is a meeting that invites ESO and baccalaureate students to learn about the reality of the technology sector through the testimony of two Young IT Girls professionals and a young woman from the ICT sector. The participants will share their academic and work paths, highlighting diversity within the technological world and breaking gender stereotypes. The session highlights leading women, including racialized professionals and other groups often made invisible, to show the plurality of paths that lead to innovation.
Wednesday, November 19 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Roundtable at the Convent de Barcelona Activa
Restless Minds: Professions in the Scientific-Technological Field
This workshop offers an innovative experience for students who are in the process of choosing their studies or professional future. Using virtual reality glasses and artificial intelligence tools, participants will be able to experience an immersive day of work in professions such as marine biology, medicine or scientific research.
Wednesday 19 and Friday 21 November · 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
Immersive workshop with virtual reality (VR) glasses at the Convent de Barcelona Activa
A journey through quantum secrets
A participatory activity that introduces the fundamental concepts of quantum physics in a fun and accessible way. Through surprising experiments and dynamic games, participants will explore phenomena such as quantum superposition, wave-particle duality or entanglement. A proposal designed to awaken vocations and promote scientific thinking among the youngest.
Thursday, November 20 · 5.30 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Information workshop at the Convent de Barcelona Activa
The (in)visible ingenuity: a journey through the history of pioneering women in science and technology
The doctor and chemist Núria Salan, a renowned popularizer and great communicator, proposes a fascinating journey through the history of pioneering women in research and technology. With humor, anecdotes and surprising data, Salan rescues names and stories that have been left out of the history books, showing how these figures contributed to collective progress. The activity, aimed at young university students or those with higher education, aims to make female talent visible, break stereotypes and inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists and thinkers.
Thursday, November 20 · 9.30 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.
Masterclass with Núria Salan at the Convent de Barcelona Activa
A space to grow with science
The activities of the Biennial at the Convent de Barcelona Activa are part of the “Novembre STEM” program, promoted by Barcelona Activa and the City and Science Biennial, with the aim of providing new perspectives on knowledge and the professions of the future.
The workshops and activities reinforce the Biennial’s objective of opening up science to everyone, connecting it with the city and inspiring young people to be part of their scientific and technological future.
In addition, the Biennial program also includes activities with schools designed for primary and secondary school students.
