What’s in a logo?

The SciPy 2026 logo features the “laser loon,” inspired by Minnesota’s state bird, our host city of Minneapolis, and the iconic local pop-culture phenomenon known as the Laser Loon. This idea gained popularity in the early–mid 2010s and captured the imagination of Minnesotans, even making a memorable appearance during the 2023–2024 Minnesota state flag redesign process. While it wasn’t selected as the official flag, it won the hearts of many, and now has a place in our conference identity.