Wednesday 18 June 2008

Big Science Read Bang!

Well, the BSR launch got us off to a flying start - with lots of coverage The Times (a related piece by Lucy Hawking and a list of the great-and-good's best books*), and a great weekend of events at Jodrell Bank!

From here, we hope, infinity and beyond...!


*FYI - Terry Pratchett chose The Origin of Species - have a look at the rest to be impressed and surprised in equal measure!

Passing Down

Helen Clare is going to be creating some poetry for the festival on the theme of family histories and genetic inheritance, under the title Passing Down.

You might remember last year she was MOSI's poet in residence, with a project called Weaving Words.

She's started a blog - called Genes and Stories - to track the project so do pop over and see what she's up to...

Ideas cafe...

Cafe Scientifique, in association with the Manchester Beacon for Public Engagement presents...

MANCHESTER SCIENCE FESTIVAL: IDEAS CAFE

6.30pm, Monday July 7th, Cafe Couture www.couturemanchester.com at the Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester

WHAT IS IT?
Manchester Science Festival aims to enthuse and inspire everyone about science, technology and engineering. This is your chance to get involved and influence the programming of the festival, taking place in venues across Manchester in October and November. Festival Director, Laura Drane will be on hand to explain more about the 2008 themes which are:

"Manchesticity" - the city's endeavours, achievements, people, places and ideas
Mind & Body - activities and topics about our brains and brawn
Planet - exploring our impact on and use of the earth, and looking into space
The Elements - atoms; earth, wind, water, fire; and of course, the weather!

WHO IS IT FOR?
Community groups, academics, artists, venue owners, curators, healthcare professionals, technologists, creatives, students, Manchester residents...in fact anybody with an interest in science. Everybody welcome. We'll bring the cafe - you bring the ideas.

HOW TO BOOK?
Reserve your place online at http://www.cafescientifique.manchester.ac.uk/book/

For further information on The Manchester Beacon for Public Engagement - a partnership connecting people, places and knowledge go to:
http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/beacons/manchester/

Friday 13 June 2008

Big Science Read launch

Jodrell Bank will be running its second Literary Weekend 'First Move.2' on June 13th and 14th.

During the weekend there's a chance to hear celebrated authors Brian Aldiss and Piers Bizony, build rockets and hear about the work of Jodrell Bank live from astronomers who work there. The weekend also marks the launch of the Big Science Read—an initiative to get people reading and talking about the exciting things that happen in Science and Science Fiction!

Friday 13th June
7.30pm: Award-winning science journalist and space historian Piers Bizony will talk about 'The Culture of Spaceflight' in our 'Hot Spot' Pavilion. He is the author of The Man Who Ran the Moon, Atom, Space50 and How to Build Your Own Space Ship, amongst others.

Saturday 14th June
1.30pm: Rocket Workshop: Come and find out how rockets work—and see how far you can make yours fly! This workshop is free of charge, but places are limited. Please call 01477 571339 to book.

7.30pm: Celebrated Science Fiction Author Brian Aldiss will talk about 'Science and Civilisation' in our 'Hot Spot' Pavilion. He is the author of books too numerous to list here, but 'A Science Fiction Omnibus' came out in November last year and stormed the Science Fiction charts.
The bar will be open each evening from 7pm and there will be an opportunity to ask the authors questions about their work after their talks. There will also be a book-signing at the end of the events. Tickets are £5.00 per person per event and are available from Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre by calling 01477 571339.

The weekend marks the launch of the Big Science Read in collaboration with the Manchester Science Festival and the Manchester Literature Festival. This is an opportunity for people of all ages to explore, re-discover and get excited about science-themed books.

The bookshop for the weekend will be Simply Books in Bramhall. First Move.2 is in association with The Times Books. The Hot Spot Pavilion is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Thursday 12 June 2008

It's oh so quiet... | We'll be back!

We've been hibernating over the winter... but the sun's bringing us back out of our burrow.

More soon...