Around Town
Edinburgh International Science Festival
www.3ciencefestival.co.uk
01 31 558 7666
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THE BEST OF THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL
3|: What if...? BBC Radio Scotland at the Edinburgh International Science Festival What would you do with a time machine? Fancy living forever? Join the speculative fun. Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road, Sun 3 Apr.
* Out of this World: The Milky Way In 3|) Not an enormous chocolate bar, but a chance to explore the heavens with a lot less tedious mucking about in hyper space. With astronomer Michael Perryman. Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road. Fri 8 Apr.
>i< Focus On: Near Earth Objects. The Good and Bad of Asteroids and Comets Seen the movies about massive boulders hurtling towards the Earth? Actually, most space rocks are wee and helpful because they give vital clues about the origin of the universe. Hear how. Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, Wed 9 Apr.
=|= Richard Dawkins in Conversation with Alun Anderson Dawkins isn't the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University for nothing. He‘s the type to make you say. ‘Oh right, I get it now' and he's in conversation with Alun Anderson, editor in chief of New Scientist. Royal Museum, 2 Chambers Street, Sat 9 Apr 3|: The Search for Nefertiti: The Truth Behind Egypt’s Most Infamous Pharaoh Queen Nefertiti was regarded as being a bit bolshy after she tried to overthrow the pantheon of Egyptian gods, so almost all trace of her was destroyed after her death. Hear about her ancient girl power from Dr Joann Fletcher and Dr Stephen Buckley. Egyptologists and mummy experts. The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Sat 10
Apr.
26 THE LIST .31 Mai—14 Apr £005
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ACllVllleS & Events
Meet the Scientist in 1 Sun 10 .-\prll Dynamic l2anh. Holyrood Road. 55" 55SS 10 30am I: 30pm £l0i£6 £7) Dynamic l;anh's resident science e\pcrt leads you through a tour of the l-.anli\ past. present and future
Talks
Edinburgh‘s Wins: The Volcanoes that Shaped our City ('asile lisplanade. lidmburgh ('astle. Royal Mile. 55S 7666.
3 4.30pm, £S (£5). Walk through the city to lltllyrtmtl Park it) tease out the history (ll eruptions that formed ('astle llill. Arthur's Seat and ('alton.
The Neuroscience of Spirituality: Faith's New Backbone? Royal Moseum. 2 ('hambcrs Street. 586‘ 7666. 2 3pm. £7 (£5 ). Dr Peter l‘enyy ick. president of the Scientilic and Medical Netyyork. eyplores the issue of surrounding spiritual medicine. * What if . . . ? BBC Radio Scotland at the Edinburgh international Science Festival Dynamic lianh. llolyrmd Road. 553 7666. 2.30 5pm. l-‘ree hut ticketed. An afternmn of fun and le‘L‘lllillltlll. information and entertainment. Sec lllllisl.
The Artful Universe Expanded: A Tour from the Dark Night Sky to the Mysteries of Abstract Art The Hub. (‘astlehilL Royal Mile. 553 7666. 4 5pm. £7 (£5). Professor John Barron. astronomer and best-selling author of The (mommy of .Vrlllm'. looks at him science and nature are intertyy ined.
Do Diets Work? The lltih. ('astlehill. Royal Mile. 558 7666.6 7pm. £7 (£5). Presented by it scientist. a sociologist and a [lie Brother \\ inner. lixplore some of the myths surrounding obesity and yy eight loss. Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile The Hub. Castlehill, Royal Mile. 558 7666. S 9pm. £7 (£5). Dr Daniel Nettle. brain and behay'iotiral psychologist. discusses yy hat makes tis happy. lluman happiness is lull of contradictions; new research has revealed some simple yet stunning lessons.
Monday 4
Activities & Events
Seance l'ntil liri 8 April. The Real Mary King’s ('lose. 3 Warriston's (‘lose. High Street. 558 7666. l0pm. £5. Psychologist Richard Wiseman inyites you to explore the Victorian fascination \y ith contacting the dead. Ages lh’+.
Talks
Brainwashing: The Art of Mind Control Royal Museum. 2 (‘hambers Street. 247 439/442. 8 9pm. £7 (£5). How does thought control happen. and can we resist it'.’ Discover hoyy the brain makes decisions. see how techniques of thought control actually work. and learn how to light back.
Remaking Numans: The implications of Nanotechnology Royal Mtiseum. 2 ('hambers Street. 558 7666. 5.30-7pm. £6 (£4). Discuss this mind-bending technology yyhich could see tiny machines going inside the body.
Androids: Liberation or Liability? Reid (‘oncert llall. lidinburgh l'niyersity. Bristo Square. 558 7666. 6~7pm. £7 (£5). Is it going to be possible to create an exact copy of a human being in the near future‘.’ See 15 Days to Lise.
Plastic Surgery: Under the Knife Reid (‘oncen llall. Edinburgh l'niy‘ersity. Bristo Square. 558 7666. 8—9pm. £7 (£5). lixplore the ideas. realities and potential of modem plastic surgery ysith Adam Searle. consultant plastic reconstnictiye and aesthetic surgeon.
Tuesday 5
ActIVItieS & Events
Songs at Sunrise Also Sat 9 April. Royal Botanic Gardens (West (Tate). Royal Botanic (iardens. lny‘erleith Royy. 553 7l7l. 5~—7am. £8 (£6). A dayyn chorus yyith
:5-
nature's feathered friends at the helm. l’rice includes breakfast.
Talks
Stress and Strain: Physics or Psychiatry Royal Museum. 2 (‘haiiibcrs Street. 558 7666. 4.30 6pm. £6 (£4). Prof llein/ Wolff looks at yyhy. despite all our physical comforts and relatiye \NL‘llllll. are \ye really more stressed than our ancestors'.’ Is this a bad thiiig'.’
Stemming Expectations: Will Designers’ Transplants Become a Reality? Royal Mtiseum. 3 ('hambers Street. 558 7666. 7.8.30pm. £6 (£4). Your chance to question a panel of experts and debate the major issues surrounding stem cell technology.
Wednesday 6
Talks
Focus On: Near Earth Objects. The Good and Bad of Asteroids and Comets Royal Observatory Visitor ('entre. Blackford Hill. 558 7666. 7~>‘)pm. £3.50 (£2.50). Space rocks hit liarth ey'ery' day and give y‘ital clues to the origins of the Solar System. Should we welcome them or worry about catastrophic collisions‘.’
The Luck Factor Royal Museum. 2 (‘hambers Street. 558 7666. 8 9pm. £7 (£5). Why are some people always in the right place at the right time. yyhile others are always unlucky 1’ Psychologist Dr Richard \k'isemaii tells tis yyhy.
Thursday 7
Talks
Cancer: Drug Development and the Race Against Time Royal College of Physicians. 9 Queen Street. 558 7666. 7v‘)plli. £6 (£4). Bringing an anti-cancer medicine into general Use can take tip to l2 years and cost millions of pounds. Isn't there a better yyay to liiid new medicines‘.’
Friday 8
Talks
Healthy, Wealthy but not yet Wise?: An in-depth look at complementary and alternative medicine Royal Mu.seum. 2 (‘hambers Street. 558 7666. 6-7pm. £7 (£5). Join this liyely‘ debate on the current and future role of complementary medicine.
The Edinburgh Medal: Whose Science is it Anywafl Council Chambers. High Street. 558 7666. 7—8.l5pm. £6 (£4). Colin Blakemore. chief executive of the Medical Research Council. looks at the contrast between public science and the public who fund it.
* Out of this World: The Milky Way in SD Dynamic liaith. Holyrood Road. 556' 7666, ls’ ‘ipm. £7 (£5). Watch a 3|) lilm ol the Milky Way. and hear him it has contributed to our understanding of the structure and esolution of the galasy. See llitlist.
Uniquely Human: What Mutations Teach Us Royal Museum. 2 (‘hambers Street. 556’ 7666. S 0pm. £7 (£5). liyolutionary biologist Dr Armand Marie Leroi asks ys hat makes tis human.
Saturday 9
Talks
Postcards from Saturn: News and images from Cassini/Nuygens Royal Mtiseum. 3 (‘haiiibers Street. 556’ 7666.
2 3pm. £7 (£5). Dr John Masson. astronomer. author and broadcaster. presents the latest images from Saturn yia the ('assmi probe. Inter-stellar?
Tight Corners: Life at the Cutting Edge of Formula One Royal Mtiseum. 3 ('hambers Street. 556’ 7666. 4 5pm. £7 (£5). The technology behind H is phenomenal. Don‘t miss this chance to find out what it takes to be the lirst under the chequered llag.
Body Language: Non-Verbal Communication Laid Bare Royal Mtiseum. 2 ('hambers Street. 558 7666.
6: 7pm. £7 (£5). l)r Harry \k'itchcl. physiologist. T\' scientist and yyriler. and Dr Andy Bass. communication consultant. debunk the yyorst of body language mythology and giye some reliable hot tips. :I: Richard Dawkins in Conversation with Alun Anderson Royal Mtiseum. 2 ('hambers Street. 558 7666. S 9pm. £7 (£5). The evolutionary biologist joins Alun Anderson. editor in chief of .N'm- Stir/ills]. See prey'iew and llitlist.
Talks
From Blizzards to the Big Bang: What Supercomputers Can Bring to Life Royal MUseum. 2 ('hainbers Street. 558 7666. 4—5pm. £6 (£4). (‘heck out interactive demonstrations and exciting animations. With Dr Anhur Treyy. lidinburgh Parallel ('omputing (‘entre
1|: The Search for Nefertiti: The Truth Behind Egypt’s Most infamous Pharaoh The Hub. ('astlehill. Royal Mile. 558 7666. 6—7pm. £7 (£5). The story of the 13-year search for the body of Egypt's most infamous Pharaoh Nefertiti. See llitlist. Life in Antarctic Extremes The Hub. Castlehill. Royal Mile. 558 7666. 8—9pm. £6 (£4). Find out hovt the changing environment will affect Antarctic animals.