Out of the Box #2 Nature & Night

The focus is on the question of what the night means to us – as a natural rhythm, as a cultural space and as a place of special experiences. For the night is not merely the absence of daylight, but a living space in its own right: Whilst we sleep or celebrate, bats hunt, insects flit through the darkness, night-blooming plants flourish, and connections are formed that remain invisible by day. Whilst nature has been shaped by the alternation between day and night for millions of years, humankind has increasingly pushed back the darkness. The city that never sleeps: artificial light makes the night accessible. Work, communication and entertainment no longer have fixed boundaries. Yet nature knows no permanent availability: many animals orient themselves by the darkness, plants follow their own cycles, and the human body, too, bears the traces of this ancient rhythm within it.

And yet, people have always been drawn to the night. Is nightlife a rebellion against natural rhythms, or perhaps a form of them in its own right? Why do some people experience the night as a space of freedom and belonging, whilst others encounter it with a sense of insecurity or loneliness? Who does the night actually belong to? The revellers, the workers, those who sleep, the animals, or those who cannot find a place elsewhere?

Particularly in a city like Berlin, which is known worldwide for its distinctive nightlife, these questions go beyond the mere topic of leisure. They reveal something about how we shape community, how we deal with freedom, and what spaces we create for encounters. The night brings to light what often remains hidden during the day: our need for connection, for experiences that push our boundaries, and for moments when we become part of something greater.

Speaking on this topic:
Sabine Bausch – Equality Officer for the City of Aachen
Sophia Kimmig – Wildlife biologist & author
Jan van Zeeuw – Sleep researcher, chronobiologist & neuroscientist
Katharina Wolf – Cultural manager & sustainability consultant for Berlin’s club scene

Moderated by Maike Weißpflug

Our guests will share their experiences, stories and perspectives; the aim is not to have a discussion in search of quick answers or consensus, but rather to create an evening full of unexpected connections, productive friction and fresh ideas. After all, the way we shape the night also reveals something about how we understand society. Resilience does not arise solely through order and control. It also flourishes where people create spaces together, tolerate differences and share experiences that cannot be fully planned.

An evening for everyone who has remained curious. For everyone who would like to step outside their own bubble from time to time. And for everyone who believes that social change begins where genuine encounters become possible.

A programme by the Naturwissen network of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Funded by the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.