It comes to us all and if for no other reason, that's a great incentive to come along to our first trailblazer to find out the impacts of ageing on our bodies, our minds and wider society...
“When I’m 164…”: a debate about the impacts of ageing
Tuesday 14 October, 6.30pm-8.30pm - The Manchester Museum
Booking details: FREE. To book in advance or for more information, call 0161 275 2648
Join us for a debate about the impacts of ageing populations, how our bodies age, and the need for lifetime homes and communities. There will be three expert angles in on the topic followed by an audience debate. Hosted by Prof Trevor Cox, speakers include Prof Marcus Ormerod (University of Salford), Prof Marco Narici (MMU), and Prof Eileen Fairhurst MBE (MMU). Supported by RCUK, the Manchester Beacon for Public Engagement, and Full of Life Festival.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Guest bloggers...
You might already have noticed that we've invited some people working on the festival with us to join us in blogging over the next month - look out for some new names and other views in the coming days and weeks...
Friday, 3 October 2008
Fire Tornado!
Yesterday myself (Marieke Navin, Science Communication Officer at the Museum of Science and Industry) and presenter Howard Sharples got up close and personal with a fire tornado to illustrate some visual science for the launch of Manchester Science Festival. To work the fire tornado you light a flame at the centre of the drum, spin the drum which gives spin to the air molecules that hit the hot air around the flame, and raise up in a vortex like a tornado. We had a few teething problems with Howard over-zealously span the drum and tipped the whole thing over (on fire!) twice, and we thought we'd have to cancel the photo-shoot. But luckily with a bit of perseverance and some wooden blocks we managed to stabilise the device and shooting began! The article appeared in the MEN today, so check it out.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Launch and live site!
It's launch day today! And the website's gone live - go feast your eyes at www.manchestersciencefestival.com!
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
LHC update
We mentioned a few weeks ago that the Large Hadron Collider was about to start work. You'll have noticed that we're all still here and the world didn't end! After a great start and almost to good to be true first few days, a technical failure on September 19th has meant that repairs are needed to some large sections of the ring.
These repairs are causing a delay and the LHC have recently announced that the collider will not be restarted until next spring!
To keep up to date with all the latest information, catching up with the scientific questions and even have a go at running your own collider go to the LHC website
These repairs are causing a delay and the LHC have recently announced that the collider will not be restarted until next spring!
To keep up to date with all the latest information, catching up with the scientific questions and even have a go at running your own collider go to the LHC website
Friday, 12 September 2008
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Good Bye Liverpool...... Hello Manchester!
I've now been back from Liverpool for a couple of days and think I have just about recovered from two days in the train station!
Science busking was great fun, thanks to everyone who came and helped out, we couldn't have done it without you especially David, Louise and Marieke. Although I've done that kind of things a couple of times before I've never done it quite so up close and with truly "household" equipment, I actually learned a lot including how to make a very scary bunny even more scary! If you want to learn how to make the wall grow, see a tame tornado or free yourself from a deceivingly simple looking knotted rope, then come along and join us all out and about busking in Manchester during the Manchester Science Festival. We'll be at Piccadilly train station on the 23, 24, 27, 28 October AND in the Trafford Centre on the 30 October, how can you miss us!
While in Liverpool I also managed to get to a session on communicating science ideas. The session was a really interesting mix of people from different backgrounds and sectors ranging from TV production to school teachers, funders to practitioners. Some great ideas were raised and it made me think about how I communicate and how we work as a festival.
Thanks to the BA for a lovely week, the chance to busk in the station and see a giant spider on the side of a building next to the station (very conveniently arranged for us I thought) although I'm still pretty sure that our expanding spider was better!
See you all in Manchester in a few weeks.
Science busking was great fun, thanks to everyone who came and helped out, we couldn't have done it without you especially David, Louise and Marieke. Although I've done that kind of things a couple of times before I've never done it quite so up close and with truly "household" equipment, I actually learned a lot including how to make a very scary bunny even more scary! If you want to learn how to make the wall grow, see a tame tornado or free yourself from a deceivingly simple looking knotted rope, then come along and join us all out and about busking in Manchester during the Manchester Science Festival. We'll be at Piccadilly train station on the 23, 24, 27, 28 October AND in the Trafford Centre on the 30 October, how can you miss us!
While in Liverpool I also managed to get to a session on communicating science ideas. The session was a really interesting mix of people from different backgrounds and sectors ranging from TV production to school teachers, funders to practitioners. Some great ideas were raised and it made me think about how I communicate and how we work as a festival.
Thanks to the BA for a lovely week, the chance to busk in the station and see a giant spider on the side of a building next to the station (very conveniently arranged for us I thought) although I'm still pretty sure that our expanding spider was better!
See you all in Manchester in a few weeks.
perspectives
I spent a really interesting and informative half-day yesterday helping judge the BA perspectives poster competition. The idea is that scientists and researchers think about the social and ethical implications and impacts of their work, make a poster about it and then stand for three half days talking to the public about it (and us judges!). The topics ranged from women consenting to share eggs to nano technology to body clocks to malaria. Walking round to speak to 10 of the entrants about their work and pressing them on their views and opinions made the posters really come alive.
I think I was coming at it very differently to some of the other judges (more glossy mag or train station, than academic conference), but that only made it more interesting... I somehow also ended up on the final moderating panel of four to help choose the winner and runners up, which meant another bite of the cherry with regards to seeing even more early career scientists displaying and talking about their work. I was pleased with the final decisions we made as a judging panel - I thought it reflected the balance of topics and quality of work well. And well done to all involved!
I think I was coming at it very differently to some of the other judges (more glossy mag or train station, than academic conference), but that only made it more interesting... I somehow also ended up on the final moderating panel of four to help choose the winner and runners up, which meant another bite of the cherry with regards to seeing even more early career scientists displaying and talking about their work. I was pleased with the final decisions we made as a judging panel - I thought it reflected the balance of topics and quality of work well. And well done to all involved!
Friday, 5 September 2008
Science station
Us busking at Lime St station in Liverpool this afternoon as part of the build up to the BA Festival this week and the Manchester festival in October...
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Supermassiveblackhole...
We're now less than a week until physicists in Geneva switch on the massive experiment at CERN known as the LHC (Large Hadron Colider).
They're going to recreate the moments immediately after the Big Bang - and if all goes well they won't accidentally create a black hole in the process! (Though I am assured if they do, it'll be so instanteaneous that none of us, even them, will ever know it happened).
In celebration of this momentus event, the Manchester BBC Big Screen is showing some fizz-ics short films from this Saturday as part of the build up. Catch them before the black hole catches us!
They're going to recreate the moments immediately after the Big Bang - and if all goes well they won't accidentally create a black hole in the process! (Though I am assured if they do, it'll be so instanteaneous that none of us, even them, will ever know it happened).
In celebration of this momentus event, the Manchester BBC Big Screen is showing some fizz-ics short films from this Saturday as part of the build up. Catch them before the black hole catches us!
Monday, 1 September 2008
This coming weekend...
There's something secret and incredible coming to the streets of Liverpool this weekend - quite a mystery!
But it's good timing for us and The BA Festival since we'll be science busking in Lime St Station on Fri 5 (12-6), Sat 6 and Sun 7 (both 11-4).
Hope to see you there!
But it's good timing for us and The BA Festival since we'll be science busking in Lime St Station on Fri 5 (12-6), Sat 6 and Sun 7 (both 11-4).
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
The BA Festival of Science Liverpool, 6-11 September 2008
The BA Festival of Science is coming to Liverpool from 6-11 September, bringing over 350 of the UK’s top scientists and engineers to discuss the latest developments in science with the public. There are around 150 events to chose from, taking place across Liverpool and beyond.
From the latest research news and debates about the most topical and challenging issues of our time, to science musicals, exhibitions and hands-on entertainment, the Festival provides an opportunity to meet and talk with many stimulating and entertaining scientists, journalists, authors and artists.
To kick it all off, we have our family weekend ‘Science Explosion at the World Museum’ to be opened by TV personality Adam Hart-Davis with hands- on fun and activities for all.
Ever wanted to run faster than a speeding bullet, curious if robots have feelings of their own or know how txt messages can solve crimes? Come along and find out the answers to such questions as well as getting involved in exhibitions and performances in and around Liverpool helping to stimulate your minds and be excited by science.
There is also the chance to discuss current hot topics, enjoy some unique street theatre from the Science Butlers, find out about the science of superheroes, use poetry to communicate the impact of climate change on biodiversity, and join best-selling crime authors and top forensic experts to discover the science behind the stories.
Learn all about the science of sport and how to bend it like Beckham, join us in debate about the use of technology in sport and whether it is starting to outweigh natural talent. Discover if life is really out there, go on the search for extraterrestrial life, or find out what role science has to play in culture. All this and much, much more…
This is just a handful of the 150 events happening this September. With events ranging from topics on astronomy, to the food we eat to events on science and culture the BA festival of science is a must for all giving you the opportunity to question top scientists, and find how science can make a difference to your lives.
For more information please visit www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience or ring 020 7019 4947. Pick and book your events, and be prepared to be entertained, intrigued and amazed by science. We hope to see you there…
Find us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6254449274 or join our blog: http://bafestivalofscience.blogspot.com/
From the latest research news and debates about the most topical and challenging issues of our time, to science musicals, exhibitions and hands-on entertainment, the Festival provides an opportunity to meet and talk with many stimulating and entertaining scientists, journalists, authors and artists.
To kick it all off, we have our family weekend ‘Science Explosion at the World Museum’ to be opened by TV personality Adam Hart-Davis with hands- on fun and activities for all.
Ever wanted to run faster than a speeding bullet, curious if robots have feelings of their own or know how txt messages can solve crimes? Come along and find out the answers to such questions as well as getting involved in exhibitions and performances in and around Liverpool helping to stimulate your minds and be excited by science.
There is also the chance to discuss current hot topics, enjoy some unique street theatre from the Science Butlers, find out about the science of superheroes, use poetry to communicate the impact of climate change on biodiversity, and join best-selling crime authors and top forensic experts to discover the science behind the stories.
Learn all about the science of sport and how to bend it like Beckham, join us in debate about the use of technology in sport and whether it is starting to outweigh natural talent. Discover if life is really out there, go on the search for extraterrestrial life, or find out what role science has to play in culture. All this and much, much more…
This is just a handful of the 150 events happening this September. With events ranging from topics on astronomy, to the food we eat to events on science and culture the BA festival of science is a must for all giving you the opportunity to question top scientists, and find how science can make a difference to your lives.
For more information please visit www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience or ring 020 7019 4947. Pick and book your events, and be prepared to be entertained, intrigued and amazed by science. We hope to see you there…
Find us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6254449274 or join our blog: http://bafestivalofscience.blogspot.com/
Friday, 15 August 2008
Maths made interesting...
Not my phrase btw! Radio4's Today programme had this on yesterday:-
Maths has long been associated with difficult school lessons and dreary household calculations, but for Rob Eastaway, author of How Many Socks Make a Pair, this does not have to be the case. See if you can answer his surprisingly interesting maths puzzles.
Maths has long been associated with difficult school lessons and dreary household calculations, but for Rob Eastaway, author of How Many Socks Make a Pair, this does not have to be the case. See if you can answer his surprisingly interesting maths puzzles.
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Science GCSE
So it's not a festival but it's an issue that comes up a lot when we're talking about science learning. Should students who do well in science at 14 have the right to take GCSEs in three separate science subjects? Should we make all students study "science" GCSE which includes parts of Physics, Chemistry and Biology or is a new award which focuses on the scientific method what we need to create a scientifically literate society?
The CBI thinks that all pupils who do well in their Science SAT at 14 should be offered the chance to study three separate sciences at GCSE (read the article here). I think this is a great idea, but I'm not sure how they're going to get enough specialist teachers or make schools change their timetables to fit in more science lessons.
The CBI thinks that all pupils who do well in their Science SAT at 14 should be offered the chance to study three separate sciences at GCSE (read the article here). I think this is a great idea, but I'm not sure how they're going to get enough specialist teachers or make schools change their timetables to fit in more science lessons.
Monday, 11 August 2008
"Celebrating Science as Culture"
This Science article captures some of what we're trying to do in our own humble way here in Manchester. OK, so we're not the World Science Festival, with their scale, ticket prices or Disney Imagineers (!), but we are at least trying to do the same thing - get science put alongside the rest of popular culture to allow people to interact and be inspired.
The other good thing to note is that even Lawrence Krauss struggles with my ever-burning question - it might all be good fun, but where's the science?
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Big Science Read
The site's live and voting's begun - and any day now the BSR events list will go up there too. Check back soon!
Programming and design
Yep you've guessed it - July's silence till now means that we're deep in the process of finalising the programme and passing it to the web and print designers. No mean feat when you're talking about 30 partner venues, 150+ events and what feels like hundred of logos, images, etc.
Of course the programme will eventually go public - we'd think it's likely to be September sometime, but watch this space.
Of course the programme will eventually go public - we'd think it's likely to be September sometime, but watch this space.
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