Rocket shaped simulator touring Czechia, praying mantis named Czechia’s Insect of the Year, new exhibition explores the hidden architecture behind Czechia's cottages

A rocket-shaped virtual reality simulator is touring the Czech Republic, offering citizens a lifelike journey into space and a profound perspective on Earth’s fragility—inspiring what astronauts call the 'overview effect.' This immersive experience, part of a national effort to promote STEM education, coincides with the praying mantis being named Czechia’s Insect of the Year as the species spreads beyond its traditional southern range. Meanwhile, a new Prague exhibition dives deep into the overlooked architectural legacy of the country’s beloved cottage culture, revealing how modernist ideals, romantic organic design, and pioneering architects like Zdeněk Pesánek shaped weekend retreats from the 1930s through the end of socialism. The show also highlights the enduring power of memory, as a decades-long archival project by Libuše Salomonovičová has preserved 33,000 stories of Ostrava’s Jewish community, now permanently housed in the city’s archive to support citizenship claims and historical research.