In Jena, a two-legged microscope will soon be showing passers-by the safe way across the road: at three traffic lights, the new design is replacing the classic green traffic light man. The initiative aims to make science visible in everyday life and spark curiosity about the diverse research taking place in the city. On Wednesday, the new science traffic lights were installed at three locations: at the main university building (Fürstengraben/Zwätzengasse), at the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena (Carl-Zeiss-Promenade/Lichtenhainer Straße) and at the Beutenberg Campus (Winzerlaer Straße/Hermann-Löns-Straße). The idea came from Dana Strauß and Juliane Seeber. Their proposal was selected and funded as part of the City of Jena’s participatory budget.

“The science traffic lights are more than just an original feature of the cityscape. Research and a spirit of discovery have shaped Jena for generations,” says Lord Mayor Thomas Nitzsche. Andreas Marx, President of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, also welcomes the project: “Science is part of Jena – and that’s something we should be proud to show. I’m delighted that this sense of identity is now even reflected in pedestrian traffic lights.”

The initiators want to bring science into the public space in a creative way. “I love the idea of a child standing at a traffic light asking, ‘Why is there a microscope there?’ At the same time, for me, the traffic lights are an expression of the close collaboration between the city and the research community within our JenaVersum network,” says Dana Strauß. Juliane Seeber adds: “The symbol represents the spirit of discovery that marks the beginning of research – often with a simple question.”

The project is also unique from a technical perspective: special symbol masks were developed for the modern LED traffic lights and produced using 3D printing. The implementation was carried out by Kommunalservice Jena (KSJ).