Beautiful Bacteria, Visual Viruses, Fascinating Fungi!

Microbiology and Art
MadLab
Saturday 22 October – 10 November
11am – 5pm
Cost & Booking: Free. No need to book. Drop in anytime.

Looking up at the celestial night sky or at Hubble telescope images of the universe around us, the connection between astronomy and beauty is unquestionable.

But other fields of science don’t have such a ready connection between their research subjects and beauty. Take, for example, microbiology. The study of bacteria, viruses, and fungi likely makes most people think, “Germs! Get them off me!” rather than “Ooh, that’s lovely…”

Joanna Verran, though, is out to change all that. For the 2011 Manchester Science Festival , Joanna has put together an exhibit of artwork inspired by and featuring microorganisms and infectious diseases.

After all, many microorganisms are beneficial to us, and gorgeous as well!

Manchester Science Festival blogger Nija Dalal got on the phone with Joanna, to discuss this exciting and intriguing exhibit that brings together science and art.

First off, can you describe what the event will be about?

The exhibit will demonstrate the links between science and art, specifically microbiology. The artworks were produced by science undergraduate students and citizen-scientists to illustrate the often unrecognized connections between art and science

And what exactly is microbiology?

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, the tiny living things like bacteria, virii, fungi. They are incredibly small, and have to be seen through a microscope.

Microbes can be very beautiful and very important… and there are more of them than anything else on the planet! And they’re not all there just to make us ill—many of them play the important role of breaking things down. If they didn’t exist, we’d be over our heads in rubbish on this planet!

Did you know there are 10 times more microbial cells in and on the human body than there are human cells?

That’s amazing! I knew there were a lot, but that’s astounding! What kind of artworks can festival goers look forward to seeing at the exhibit?

There are a lot of exciting artworks being shown. For example, one of my students recreated an X-ray image of a virus using sequins. It’s really beautiful. Another piece is an embroidered quilt about scarlet fever, and it also draws on Little Women, because a character in that book, Beth, dies of scarlet fever.

There are also some fascinating photographs. Overall, the exhibit will be a very visual, very artistic way to engage with science. Hopefully, people will find a new way to think about science and microbiology, because art can help to communicate scientific understanding in an unexpected way.

The exhibit features work by your undergraduate science students and by a group called DIYBIO… What is DIYBIO?

DIYBIO is a Wellcome Trust Funded group, run by MadLab (Manchester Digital Laboratory) and Manchester Metropolitan University. The group exists to encourage citizen-run science. DIYBIO held a competition among their members for artworks that related to microbiology. The winning submissions are in the exhibit.

They’ve developed an interactive microbe map of Manchester, which can show visitors where different microbes were found around the city, mostly probably from people’s hands.

So could it be that people who come to see the exhibit may have unwittingly contributed to it?

Absolutely. You may be seeing your own microbes on that map!

Why did you choose to use academic and amateur work?

Science students tend to get pigeonholed into just doing science work, and this lets them use other talents, brings in different talents and provides a different way of communicating science. For the person looking at the work, it could be a less threatening way of looking at science.

What do you think art offers microbiology? Can art sometimes show things in a clearer way or a more dynamic way?

I think the artworks make people look at science differently, think about the message differently. That can be very interesting.

Do you think art can help people get interested in microbiology?

Yes! Microbiology is a really interesting subject and this gets people to look at it in a way that’s more accessible and helps you to make links you wouldn’t otherwise. You’d never think of the similarity between something like an xray of a virus and a cultural product like sequins, but once you’ve seen the artwork, you can see how beautiful and sparkly the original xray image looks.

I really hope this exhibit inspires people to do and think about science and art as interconnected.

The Manchester Science Festival 2011 presents Microbiology and Art
MadLab, 

36-40 Edge St, Manchester, Greater Manchester M4 1, UK

Saturday 22 October – 10 November
11am – 5pm
Cost & Booking: Free. No need to book. Drop in anytime.

Don't try this at home!

We got the chance to grill the BBC Bang Goes the Theory team and we've been putting their questions and answers up on our blog. This week, it's Dallas' turn... don't try this at home!

What's your favourite science fact?
Space is big. Really big…

What's the most dangerous experiment you've ever done?
Typing this in the bath.

What's the most dangerour / extreme / exciting thing you've ever done?
I went diving in raw sewage in Mexico City. Human waste, animal waste, it was truly grim. Unblocking your own loo is bad enough, but unblocking a loo that 20 million people have been using is truly awful. For a day I was a human sink plunger.

How did you become a science TV presenter?
A strange combination of circumstances, chance encounters, a favourable alignment of the planets, hard work, and luck. There is no official career path to becoming a TV Presenter. The short story is that I devised a TV science series in America which I ended up presenting. From that I went on to present The Gadget Show on Channel Five and then on to the BBC to do Bang and my other BBC projects. That’s the abridged version at least. The upshot is, I have the best job in the world, and I’m incredibly lucky.

What do you think will be the next big discovery in science?
From what I understand, physics is on the brink of some exciting conclusions: The nature of dark matter (the missing matter of the Universe); confirmation of the existence of the elusive Higgs boson which will help complete the Standard Model of particle physics; perhaps a theory that will unify quantum mechanics (the strange physics of the subatomic world) and relativity (physics of really big stuff like galaxies). Not only will these things reveal more about the nature of reality, but no doubt throw up new, exciting questions and mysteries. That’s the really exciting bit of science – the stuff we don’t yet know. Exciting times.

What's the best thing about your job?
When people ask me what my favourite food is.

What's your favourite food?
All of it.

Questions from the fans

What is the most you've ever eaten in one sitting and what is the most that one person can actually eat?
I recently went to Amarillo in Texas. There’s a restaurant there where they serve a 72 oz steak – just over 2 kilograms of meat. Terrifying. If you eat it it’s free. But not only do you have to eat the steak, you have to eat the baked potato, the bread roll, the coleslaw and all the other stuff that it comes with. When I was there, there was an interstate BBQ rib eating contest going on. I’ve never seen more meat being consumed in my life. A truly awesome display. I had the salad. Followed by a 72 oz steak.

Do aliens exist?
“Sometimes I think we’re alone. Sometimes I think we’re not. Either way the implications are staggering.” That’s a quotation sometimes credited to Arthur C. Clarke, and sometimes to Buckminster Fuller, but it nicely sums up my daily ruminations on the subject. The short answer is, of course, we don’t know for sure, but you’d have to be a brave person to bet that the only life in the Universe is here.

BBC Bang Goes the Theory LIVE experience will be at Campfield Market Hall, near MOSI on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October. Get your tickets booked now!

Bang Goes the Theory is on BBC One on Monday evenings at 7.30pm.

The Midland Future Manchester Young Writers Competition 2012

Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester Science Festival and Manchester Children’s Book Festival present the Midland Future young writers competition. Young people aged 12 – 16 are invited to write a fictional short story set at least 10 years in the future.

We are seeking North West based scientists to write scenarios about their work and vision of the future, to inspire young people who wish to enter a writing competition about future Manchester.

Scientists would need to outline one specific development they think will have a significant impact on future society, drawing on their own or other scientific research.

Topics

Possible relevant topics include:
- possible effects of future climate change on the city
- how will advances in technology change the way we communicate / travel / work
- how will medical advances affect the health and quality of life of future residents
- what effects will a changing population demographic have on life in the city

Scenarios
Scenarios need to be:

- a maximum of 500 words (i.e. so it fits on a double sided A4 sheet).
- aimed at 12 - 16 year olds – the tone needs to be suitable for 12 years +
- written in an engaging way as we are trying to spark their imaginations

Scenarios could include ideas such as a scientist’s "dream invention" and what their "nightmare invention" would be. Other ideas not mentioned here are also welcome.

Workshops
We are also seeking some scientists to participate in schools workshops. Accompanying a writer, who would lead a creative writing workshop, scientists would speak to students about their work and the future of science, and be there to answer questions about their ideas. The students would participate in creative writing, supported by the writer.

There will be 4 – 6 workshops in schools between November 2011 - February 2012 (dates tbc) and each will last half a day. You can commit to one or more workshops. As well as the time commitment involved in going into the school, scientists will need to spend time preparing their session, liaising with the writers via email to help draw up a session plan. This stage of the process will be fully supported by us.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend the teacher launch of the Midland Future Manchester writing competition which will be led by competition judge Julie Bertagne, author of futuristic teen novels ‘Exodus’, ‘Aurora’ and ‘Zenith’. This will be an opportunity to meet like-minded scientists, writers and teachers in advance of the project. This will be held on 11 October 4pm - 6pm.

Please send a brief statement of interest and experience of working with schools, writing and/or public engagement to Cathy Bolton, Manchester Literature Festival Director: director@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk by Tuesday 4 October.

Bang Goes the Theory - we grill the presenters!

We got the chance to grill the Bang Goes the Thoery presenters recently. Over the next few weeks we're posting our questions and their answers on the Manchester Science Festival blog! This week it's Liz's turn...

What's your favourite science fact?
Em... the techtonic plates on our planet are moving apart at the same rate as our finger nails grow and a tiger can tell different tiger scents apart by using the vomeronasal organ in its nose, something that we humans cannot do.

What's the most dangerous experiment you've ever done?
Taking part in a submarine rescue drill in Norway which involved going down to 100 metres in a submarine rescue system pod, 'mating' with a distressed submarine on the sea floor and opening our two respective hatches to transfer the submariners into our pod. At one point the two pilots of our pod had to lock an internal hatch, that separated the rest of us from them, to make sure that if anything went wrong during the transfer they would be okay. Apparently we were expendable but they were not!

What's the most dangerous / extreme / exciting thing you've ever done?
Wingwalking and doing a loop which involved accelerating towards the ground at ridiculous speeds in order to be able to climb high enough to do the loop, all to investigate what a gale force wind feels like. It was pretty extreme but very exciting and surprisingly enjoyable once I got over the panic - It is very peaceful up there in the skies.

How did you become a science TV presenter?
I was very lucky to be asked to audition for Bang Goes The Theory when I was just finishing my Masters in Wild Animal Biology - I hadn't even done my final exams - I still have to pinch myself every day.

What do you think will be the next big discovery in science?
That's a tough one - science can be on the edge of a big discovery at any time, that's the beauty of it. There is still so much to learn about many aspects of human biology and chemistry, as well as that of all living systems, the planet, the physics of the Universe... We are tantalisingly close to discovering life supporting planets other than our own thanks to incredible telescopes like the ones on Mauna Kea in Hawaii for example. Scientists are now saying it is not a question of if, but when we make that discovery.

What's the best thing about your job?
I get the chance to see first hand, how scientists are working on the latest technology and research for all types of science. It makes me want to get back into the lab! I am in awe of the passion and dedication of these unsung heros who all work to improve every aspect of our lives, whether it be the technology that propels our world into the future, or the latest research on cures for disease- a lot of which we take for granted. I also love the roadshows because it gives us a chance to meet some of our viewers and talk all things science with all age groups. It's a real treat to meet the scientists of the future.

What's your favourite food?
I am a big fan of Italian and Japanese food- if there was only one thing I could eat it would have to be Gyoza. I am a bit of a dumpling freak...

Questions from Bang Goes the Thoery fans
When your hands are really cold, why do they hurt when they warm up?
I suspect it has something to do with the fact that all the tiny blood vessels in your hands shrink due to the cold, which can be quite painful in itself, and they vasodilate or expand again when the hands get a chance to warm up, allowing the blood flow to increase again, and that can be a little painful too.

Do aliens exist?

It depends what you mean when you say aliens. I do think there are life forms out there, but how sophisticated they are remains to be discovered. I suspect the funny eyed egg head is unlikely to ever grace our planet.

The Bang Goes the Thoery team will be in Manchester from 22 - 23 October with thier LIVE roadshow. We can't wait! Book your free tickets now!


Catch Bang Goes the Theory on BBC1 on Monday evenings.

Knit a Microbe! Nexus Art Cafe

As part of the Manchester Science Festival and Golden Ratio exhibition at Nexus Art Cafe, we are inviting all needle-clackers to contribute a microbe to our Golden Ratio colony!

Come and knit in the cafe, use this events page to organise a group knit, or drop by our Crafternoons sessions every Sunday at 3pm. You can drop your woolly microbe off at the Nexus counter, labelled with your name and contact details if you would like them back! They will then be displayed as a part of the Golden Ratio exhibition, which runs from 30th September - 20th November.

Please make sure your microbes are ready by 25th September so we have time to hang them all!

You can find the microbe patterns here, courtesy of Manchester Science Festival.

You can use the Nexus Facebook page to organise meets with other knitters, or join our Crafternoon group.

Bang Goes the Theory - we grill the presenters!

We couldn't be more excited that the Bang Goes the Theory LIVE experience is coming to Manchester Science Festival this year!

We got the chance to catch up with the presenters of the show and asked them loads of questions. Over the next few weeks, we'll pop the questions and their (sometimes hilarious!) answers on our blog. The first presenter we put to the test is Jem!

What's your favourite science fact?
I love the fact that an ancient Greek fellow managed to pretty accurately figure out the size of the world using sticks, shadows and logic.

What's the most dangerous experiment you've ever done?
Myself and the two guys I work with do many, many experiments in the process of building all we do for Bang. And there are quite a few that there’s no practical risk-free way of doing. You’ve just got to use your most considered judgement and hope you’ve got it right.

On-screen wise, going all the way round on a swing was the only experiment I didn’t even tell my family about. The window for success was pretty small. On reflection, I’m not even sure I should trust own engineering that much.

What's the most dangerous/extreme/exciting thing you've ever done?
I remember surfing one reef break in south west Australia that was both big and sucked pretty dry over the rocks. It struck me as amazing how you never really notice the muscles in your feet then when you really need them you can feel hundreds of them doing everything they can to make sure you stay upright.

How did you become a science TV presenter?
For years I worked behind the scenes building experiments and machines for a bunch of other science shows, and when the camera was swung in my direction I just tried to smile and be myself.

What do you think will be the next big discovery in science?
Using unimaginably small aerials to turn infra red radiation directly into usable electricity.

What's the best thing about your job?
The simply astonishing opportunity it gives me to meet and talk with some wonderfully experienced scientists and engineers.

What's your favourite food?
Chips

Questions from Bang Goes the Thoery fans

Why do some kettles whistle when they boil?
When water gets to 100 degrees and turns into steam it expands about 800 times. There’s no room for that in the kettle so it rushes out of the spout. When the steam coming out moves quickly enough through a specifically designed chamber (the kettle whistle) it sets up a vibration. This vibration causes the air in the rest of the room to vibrate, which can then wobble your ear drums. If those are wobbled at the right rate (about 1000 times per second) you interpret that as a whistling sound.

Do aliens exist?
I’d be amazed if they didn’t.
BBC Bang Goes the Theory LIVE experience will be at Campfield Market Hall, near MOSI on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October. Get your tickets booked now!

Bang Goes the Theory is on BBC One on Monday evenings at 7.30pm.

Microbiology and art competiton – call for entries

Art provides an opportunity for visualisation and communication of science…
During the Manchester Science Festival 2011, MadLab will be hosting its first science themed exhibition, on the subject of Microbiology and Art (Oct 20 – Nov 11). Items on display will include a range of different representations of links between microbiology and art – photography, jewellery, embroidery, music, painting and so on – produced by science students from MMU. In addition, the Manchester Microbe Map, produced by the intrepid members of DIYBIOMCR will be on display alongside the MMU AIDS banner, and an open call for work.

Take part in the exhibition. Here’s how.
Think about the obvious links between microbiology and art – deterioration of cultural heritage, images of infectious disease, the beauty of microscopic images, disease in history, literature – and the not so obvious.

Search the subject online, you may be surprised!

If you are inspired to produce your own artwork, then submit it to hwayoung@madlab.org.uk by the 30th September.

Please include with your submission:

1.title

2.description (inspiration)

3.size

4.medium

Any questions or queries can be directed to the above contact.

A panel of judges will select one entry to join the exhibition.

Timescale

Submission deadline : 30th September

Winner announced : 7th of October

Exhibition launch : 22nd October

This event is part of the Manchester Science Festival 2011 and DIYBIOMCR. This blog was originally posted on the MadLab website.

Manchester Science Festival: Spacetacular – participants needed!

Spacetacular! is quite possibly the first stand-up comedy/science/fancy dress/variety/quiz show entirely themed around outer space!

We’re looking for participants for this event at Manchester Science Festival that blends comedy, science and stories about space. The event will be held on Friday 28 October at MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry) for an adult audience.

Hosted by Helen Keen (creator of BBC Radio 4’s space comedy hit It Is Rocket Science) and finishing with a prize quiz by Londonist Editor & all round space nerd Matt Brown, previous sell out shows in London & Edinburgh have featured both comedians and scientists (& people who are just plain enthusiastic) talking to a friendly tinfoil-clad audience about their love of space.

The aim of the show is to celebrate the cosmos as widely and inclusively as possible - and in a fun way. So we’re looking for a people who would like to talk for 5-10 minutes about what they love most about space. Topics can be as broad as you like, as long as they’re vaguely space-y/science fiction-y.

We’ve previously had Prof Andrew Jaffe talking about space telescopes & Sheila Kanani of UCL making a comet in a bucket, as well as writer and Wired journalist Leila Johnston talking about her worries about Star Trek.

We encourage the audience to dress up (and have costume-making tinfoil & silvery things at the door…) and to keep things as inclusive as possible, we also have audience 'open spots' in the final section when anyone can bring a space related object (last time: a tattoo, a NASA space camp medal + a bit that had 'dropped off' a satellite...) and talk about their own enthusiasm for the Universe... (seems appropriate as space science and astronomy are of course areas where enthusiasts and amateurs can make quite a big contribution!).

If taking to the stage isn’t your thing, we’re also looking for space-related scientists to bring some objects, demonstrations or hands-on activities to engage the audience prior to the show. Doors will open at about 6pm for the audience to grab a drink, enjoy the planetarium and talk to scientists about space, before the show begins at about 7.30pm.
• If you’re interested in a stage slot, please email info@manchestersciencefestival.com by Thursday 1 September with a brief overview of what you do and what you’d like to talk about.

• If you’d like to participate the hands-on drop in part of the night please email info@manchestersciencefestival.com by Thursday 1 September with a brief overview of what you do, what you’d like to do on the evening and the topic. If you’re participating in MOSI’s day time programme and would like to stay on for the evening, that would be great and we’ll shout you some dinner!

• Please also tell us if you have had previous experience of engaging with the public.

Science fun in the sun

So we have well and truly embarked on our summer science busking programme. Every year, the Festival team and volunteers are just itching to get out and try our science tricks and demonstrations with willing members of the public!

We were at Manchester Mega Mela at the weekend and hundreds of people were crammed into the arts and crafts tent getting henna tattoos, making hats, dancing and enjoying science! We had a few new science busks to t

ry out and the "cloud in a bottle" was definitely the crowd pleaser - it has the wow factor and everyone was so interesting in learning about the weather and clouds. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and asked loads of questions. It certainly helped us practise the new busks and we had a really fun day.

We've got a few more summer busking slots lined up at the Manchester Picnic, the Caribbean Carnival and Stockport Farmers' Market. Here's hoping it stays sunny! See you there!

The Golden Ratio: call out for submissions

A call out for submissions from artists who love science, and scientists who love art.

Nexus Art Cafe is currently accepting proposals for work exploring a crossover or relationship between science and art, to be exhibited at a showcase during Manchester Science Festival. All formats of work will be considered, from vector art to video installation, paintings to pie charts. We are interested in the ways that imagination and knowledge can work together to create something special. Brains and beauty, if you like.

The exhibition itself will run from 22nd September-20th November 2011. Closing date for submissions is Sunday 7th August.

For more information, or to submit your work, please include no more than three images and up to 500 words about your work and send to submissions@nexusartcafe.com.

Join in QR-3D

QR-3D is an experiment in textiles and digital technology.

QR codes are grid-like images used in the same way as barcodes. They can be read by mobile phones and contain text, usually an internet address.

What happens when those codes are recreated in textiles? Does the texture of the thread and fabric stop the codes from working? How far can textiles be manipulated before the functionality disappears?

QR-3D invites anyone, anywhere to join in and find out. Simply choose a website, turn it into a QR code and recreate it in textiles.

Instructions for all of these steps are included in the project's website http://www.qr-3d.weebly.com/

Some of the works created will be selected for the exhibition QR-3D, held at Cornerhouse during Manchester Science Festival.

The deadline for submitting your work is Sunday 31st July so get making.

Image: Do Androids Dream of Electronic Embroidery, Rachel Rose

Do you know a rising star in science communication?



Zena, a STEM Ambassador, science busking at MSF 2010.



We're on the hunt for the best science communication talent in the UK and nominations for the 2011 Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement are now open.

Steve Cross, winner of the 2010 Josh Award.

The Joshua Phillips Award (or Josh Award) is intended to recognise and nurture the finest practitioners in science communication who, whilst being young professional science communicators, have already demonstrated exceptional potential for innovation in the relatively new field of public engagement with science.

The Award is open to anyone who is recognised as an up-and-coming talent in science communication, with innovative and new ideas.

The successful nominee will receive a personal prize of £1,000 and be appointed as “Science Communicator in residence” at the Manchester Science Festival 2012.

For more information about the about and to download the nomination form head to the Manchester Science Festival website. 

Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement 2011

Nominations for the 2011 Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement are now open.

The Joshua Phillips Award (or Josh Award) is intended to recognise and nurture the finest practitioners in science communication who, whilst being young professional science communicators, have already demonstrated exceptional potential for innovation in the relatively new field of public engagement with science.

The Award is open to anyone who is recognised as an up-and-coming talent in science communication, with innovative and new ideas.

The successful nominee will receive a personal prize of £1,000 and be appointed as “Science Communicator in residence” at the Manchester Science Festival 2012.

Previous winners include Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists, Karen Bultitude from the UWE , Bristol (middle), David Price from Science Made Simple (left) and Steve Cross from UCL (right).

Make a nomination

Find out more more about the Josh Award and how to nominate someone.

Nominations must be received by Sunday 28 August 2011.

Science and theatre meet at the Contact

When I decided to book myself a ticket to the first Manchester showing of Reykjavik last night the last thing I expected was to end up dancing, in a Tyvek suit, with strangers, to Sting’s Walking on the Moon.

At the beginning of the show, the audience dons white Tyvek suits and goggles, and embarks upon a meandering journey, from memory to memory of the main character who describes himself as ‘Y’.

Played by Jonathan Young, Y tells you the story of his past relationship with S, who he met in Paris. She was married with two children, but ends the marriage and together they move to S's homeland, Iceland, to begin a new life which is threatened by patterns of the past. The story is illustrated with vivid flash-backs to key events and connected experiences. The audience perspective flits from the fly on the wall to becoming the set. In some memories you observe from the edge of the stage, which is transformed into a runway or a swimming pool; in other memories you are a statue in Rodin’s garden or a dancing at a late night party.

These immersive scenes are conjured with lighting, sound and minimal props that plunge you into the past. I loved the parallels between this use of sensory prompts and how specific sights, sounds and tastes can trigger specific memories.

Patterns are mentioned a lot in the dialogue, emphasized with the set, and in a hand out distributed at the end of the performance, Dr Hugo Spiers (a neuroscientist at UCL) discusses the parallels between these patterns and those of memories. Y reflects on how patterns of cracks in glacial ice form and reform through thawing and refreezing; Spiers writes how patterns of memories are not fixed but can be shifted each time they are recalled, altering what you remember from initial experiences.

Reykjavik is absorbing, playful and meditative. The scientific angle is not obvious, but the play provides for some interesting reflection on what and how we remember, and what is lost.

You can catch Reykjavik at Contact from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 June 2011, 7pm & 9pm.
Head to Contact's website to book tickets.
Reykjavik is part of Lost & Found, a festival of interdisciplinary arts and performance in Manchester.

Funded by Wellcome trust, created in collaboration with the neuroscientist Dr Hugo Spiers, and produced by Time Won't Wait.


Emily Wiles - Manchester Science Festival Officer

International Year of Chemistry Celebration Event!

As part of the International Year of Chemistry we are hosting a chemistry themed day as part of the Museum of Science and Industry's "Meet the Scientist" programme as well as a Manchester Science Festival 2011 Trailblazer!

In the Museum's Power Hall there will be hands-on chemistry experiments for you to try all day (from 10:30am to 3:30pm). Things like freaky hand (see picture), making plasma, making toothpaste for elephants, coke and mentos explosions and magic sand (is it magic or nanotechnology?) to name but a few.

We are also hosting a special, one off chemistry show. How long can you make a bubble float?
How fast can you make it sink?
Explore the wonderful world of molecules; find out about all the gases in the air we breathe, and what happens when we cool them down, and heat them up.
You can do all that for yourself, but there are some things only a trained chemist can do (without being put in jail for arson!): See some more spectacular experiments in the Learning Loft: find out about the nature of colour, where it comes from, and how chemists make it; find out about the importance of chemistry to finding new fuel technologies, and all about digestion, combustion, and explosion, with memorable flashes and bangs amongst some rarely-seen demonstration-experiments. What does 400 calories actually look like? Find out in the learning loft, 2-3pm , this Saturday! Learning has never been more fun! Spaces are limited for this show so (free) tickets are available from the MOSI information desk.

The event is run with the help of chemists from the University of Manchester and the Royal Society of Chemistry. We look forward to seeing you all there tomorrow.

Vote for Manchester Science Festival

Help us to win £5000 to put towards creative programming for young people as part of Manchester Science Festival. All you need to do is vote for us on the Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ website.

Last year we had a really strong programme of innovative events that engaged the local community with cutting-edge science. We want to continue this for the fifth Manchester Science Festival, with a particular focus on involving hard-to-engage young people who may not normally have an interest in science. We also want to actively engage young people in development and delivery of events, empowering them to make some of the decisions about the Festival.

All you need to do is vote for us on the Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ website. Anyone can vote for their chosen cause and whoever has the most votes by 29 May is awarded the funding. It takes a few clicks to register and then you’re free to vote.

Vote now and help us to make Manchester Science Festival 2011 the most creative and diverse programme yet.

Once you've voted please share this on Facebook and Twitter.

MadLab - Love to learn

Here’s a quick update on two new projects that MadLab have added to their plethora of creative/techy goings-on. If you love to learn about science/techy/crafty things then read on...

Omniversity
This spring, Madlab launched the Omniversity, a series of professional training courses at the MadLab lead by some of the sharpest minds and most cutting-edge practitioners in digital and future-looking sectors in the country.

Topics covered will include progressive technologies like Arduino, an open source programming tool that can be used to make interactive electronic objects and is a favourite with artists and crafty hackers. It’s designed to be easy to use, so you don’t need a background in programming to work it out. To get an idea of what you could do with this tool, check out Hacknmod.com for an inspiring list of weird and wonderful Arduino-based creations). 

The Beginner's Guide to Arduino course will be starting on June 4th 2011 – head over to the Omniversity site for details or follow their tweets @Omniversity.

DIYBIOMCR
Madlab and MMU have been awarded a Wellcome Trust grant for public engagement and have launched 12 month DIYbio project in Manchester, riding on the wave of the popularity of community labs that have been springing up over the last couple of years. DIYBio is “dedicated to making biology an accessible pursuit for citizen scientists, amateur biologists and biological engineers who value openness and safety.” Anyone can get involved, you just need passion and an inquisitive mind! Head over to the DIYBio page for details of projects and how to get on board.

Messages from space - Gagarin celebration at MOSI

We had a brilliant time yesterday. We were making and launching rockets with the museum's fabulous presenters and 'sending' messages to and from space at MOSI, all in celebration of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space 50 years ago. Kids were asked to write messages that they would send back to Earth if they were the first person in space. Here are our favourites...

Festival Director, Natalie Ireland, making rockets.

"I have reached the moon. Let's get cake when I come back."



"Hello Mum. You are the Jupiter in my solar sytem. XXX"



"In the future we may discover bacterial life on Europa. Please can I be alive to see that."

 Check out the rest of the photos on our Flickr group. Thanks to everyone who came along and participated. We had over 200 messages and they were all fantastic!

50th anniversary of Yuri Gargarin's flight into space

It’s been three weeks since our last post, so here’s some epic history to make up for our absence.

Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space when he lauched from Kazakstan on April 12th 1961, and this month we’ll be honouring the 50th anniversary of this mission by taking part in a nationwide day of rocket launching - Rockets for Yuri. Come and make rockets and send them off into the sky with us at the Museum of Science and Industry. We'll be there between 11-1pm and 2-4pm but there will be other activities, including Planetarium shows, at the museum throughout the day. Check out the Festival website for details.

After orbiting the earth and returning safely, Gagarin promptly commenced a world tour. This included a visit to Manchester and Trafford three months after his flight and we’ve managed to uncover some photos of this appearance. 



Gagarin on Chester Road, near the Manchester United football ground.

Taken by Bill Wilcox, an amateur photographer, working for Smith's Autos on Chester Road in Stretford.






Gagarin greets the crowds in Manchester



Yuri Gagarin and Bernard Lovell



Hands on science at Manchester Metropolitan University

Ever wondered what muscles sound like? Can you tell the difference between a human and a computer? Want to play with magic sand? Interested in forensics and crime scenes?

This fun-packed day of real science is for you and all your family. Enjoy extraordinary experiments, use the latest lab technology and get up-close and personal with real scientists and technicians. There’s robots, racing cars and even an ant colony! Activity stations will be running throughout the day, so drop in anytime between the hours of 11 and 5 and stay for as long as you like...

Light refreshments available for purchase, or bring your own picnic lunch!

Workshops
As well as all of the fabulous fun stuff there are also practical workshop sessions on "Build a Morse code communication device" and "Make your own DNA necklace" running throughout the day (booking required details on the website below).

For more information and to reserve a free ticket go to the Nano Info Bio website.

  

Look out for more exciting science-related events and activities at the 2011 Manchester Science Festival running from 22 – 30 October www.manchestersciencefestival.com

19^th March 2011, MMU John Dalton Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 5GD. 

Open 11am – 5pm