Laboratory experiments on the generation and action of cosmic magnetic fields

After an introduction about the various interactions between the flows of electrically conducting fluids with magnetic fields, including the homogeneous dynamo effect and the celebrated magnetorotational instability in accretion disks, the talk continuous with an overview about previous liquid metal experiments dedicated to the laboratory demonstration of both effects. The main part of the lecture is concerned with the large-sale liquid sodium experiments that are planned in the framework of the DRESDYN project.