První část článku připomíná vznik a vývoj Československé akademie věd v 50. a 60. letech 20. století v oblasti chemického bádání a druhá ve zkratce popisuje strukturální proměny Univerzity Karlovy v Praze v téže době. I v této části je hlavní pozornost věnována chemickým pracovištím. Třetí část pojednává o spolupráci a vzájemném soupeření těchto pracovišť. Jejich vztahy výrazně ovlivňovaly dobové trendy týkající se centralizace a decentralizace vědy. Ukazuje se, že po určité stagnaci v 50. letech se vysokoškolské pracoviště snažila získat opět vliv na vědecké bádání. Vzestup chemického bádání na Přírodovědecké fakultě UK v Praze však nebyl možný bez podpory ČSAV, která jednotlivým katedrám poskytovala potřebné přístroje a spolufinancovala některé výzkumy. Nezanedbatelnou roli hrály i osobní vztahy vědeckých pracovníků z těchto institucí. Šedesátá léta se proto nesla na vlně vzájemného soupeření a zároveň rostoucí spolupráce chemických pracovišť., The first section of this article recalls the establishment and development of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in the 1950s and 1960s in the field of chemicals research, while the second briefly describes the structural transformation of Charles University in Prague at the same time, as well as primarily focusing attention on chemicals research establishments. The third section deals with the collaboration and mutual rivalries between these establishments. Their relations were significantly affected by the centralization and decentralization trends at the time in science. It turns out that after some stagnation during the 1950s higher education establishments attempted to regain their influence in scientific research. However, the emergence of chemicals research at the Charles University Natural Sciences Faculty in Prague was not possible without the support of CSAS, which provided the individual departments the necessary instrumentation and co-funded some research. A considerable role was also played by personal relations among scientists from these institutes. Hence the 1960s rode a wave of mutual rivalry and at the same time increasing collaboration among chemicals research establishments., and Překlad resumé: Melvyn Clarke
Weathering and erosion of sandstone landscapes often results in many amazing landforms such as arches, alcoves (rock shelters), pedestal rocks and pillars. Long-term research has produced numerous contrasting ideas for the origin of these landforms. The presence of salt and/or occurrence of freezing water and/or similar potential weathering/erosion processes at site are common causes of these landforms. The effect of gravity loading stress has been overlooked or assumed to increase the landform’s weathering rate. Research at the Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics is based on field observations of locked sands and cemented sandstones and on physical experiments, followed by a numerical modelling. This may be the first time that the landforms cited above were reproduced in laboratory experiments. The Institute interpreted its findings by a novel mechanical model called “the concept of locus of fabric instability.” The results clearly show that an increase in stress within the landform (fabric interlocking) reduces weathering and erosion. Material with insufficient loading is rapidly removed by that weathering process and the remaining load bearing landform structure is protected by the fabric interlocking mechanism. The Institute concludes that its research that planar discontinuities in sandstone and negative feedback between stress and weathering/erosion processes are sufficient conditions to create landforms. and Michal Filippi, Jana Schweigstillová.