Around Town
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THE BEST EVENTS, TALKS AND SPORT
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* Big Bang: The History of the Universe in 60 Minutes Was there ever a day without yesterday? Get a sore head even trying to comprehend that notion? Science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh tells all, interspersing his talk with Led Zeppelin, the Teletubbies and an electrified gherkin. Glasgow Science Centre: ScottishPower Planetarium, 50 Pacific Quay, Fri 77 Mar.
* No End to the Banana Andy Warhol knew all about the aesthetic properties of the banana, but it you think the yellow bendy sort is your lot, you are sorely mistaken. There are over 1000 varieties and this exhibition looks at the present and future of the world's favourite truit. Royal Botanic Garden, lnverleith Row, Edinburgh, Tue 27 Mar—Sat 73 May
* Gamma-Ray Bursts: The Biggest Bang Since the Big Bang Max Ruttert uses computer simulations to describe the fiery history of gamma-ray bursts. How are these cataclysmic explosions powered? Merger of a neutron star and a black hole? Gosh. Royal Observatory Visitor Centre, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, Mon 27 Mar.
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Imagine exploring jungles, looking for insects and trying to unlock the mysteries of evolution. Morag Bruce meets Graham Rotheray, a true life adventurer.
are the oil ill the engine oI‘ lile drixing it on.' .-\
‘l n ttilllt)\l c\er_\ hahitat e\cept the tnarine. insects
quote I'rom (iraham Rothcra}. principal curator
oI entomolog} at the Rt)_\tti Museum. that pt‘ohtthl} shakes the core oI' those reach uho tear the ph)|um 'ct‘ccp) crau I) '.
il iltl\ hccn L'\lilllttlcti liltll litL‘l'L‘ arc 3W) tltlliitlll insects I'oi' e\er_\ human on the planet. and we're a hit ot‘ a puppet gmernment. ignorantl} assuming \\c nicld an} ptmcr or higher intelligence \xhatxoewr o\er this Iantaxticall} comp|c\ group ot' (ll‘gtllii\lll\. In the \\t)l‘ti\ ot' author l’rimo I.e\ i: '.-\I'tei‘ the planet hecomes theirs. man} millions ot _\ear\ \xill ha\c to paw hel'ore a hcctlc. at the end oI' its calculationx. \\ ill Iind \\ rilten on a sheet ol' paper in letters that energ} is equal to the mass multiplied h} the square ol' the \eIocit} oI‘ light. The next kiltgx ol' the \xorld niII li\e tranquilh tor a long time. conl‘ining themxehes to dexouring caclt other and heing parasites among each other on a cottage industr} scale'
.’\nd \xe‘re not men close to cataloguing all the
\pccic\ that c\i\l. Rttlilct‘tl} \ liIc—Ime i\ the PUHUII ill
lilL‘\L‘ ltllL‘l‘UctHlttic \tlL‘iL‘tlc\ ttlld ilc'\ \pclll Lt Iittil‘ \\ hack ol' the last \i\ _\ear\ trauling ('cntral and South .-\merica I'or ne\\ \pecicx. .\lr Rothera}. pra} tell. uh} not something cute and l'lut'l} '.’
lite on Iiarth i\ \o tnuch more than just mammalx and hirds. Insects are not onl) heautil'ul: thin ol. the colours ot‘ hutterI'Iiex. hut the} do the most ama/ing things] he 5a)» \Vhat. e\en \xaxps‘.’ ‘Iiach little creature ix programmed to its own \\a) ot‘ lite and Iinding out \\ hat these nap oI' Inc are is stunningl} interesting.
More than that. \xithout ilt\ccl\ to pollinatc Iitl\\L'l\ or rec} c|c materials. We \Mllliti not he pomihlef
Being the lirxt to \cicntilicall} record a species must he incredihlc. 'l'inding out an_\thing next in hitting} l\ e\citing hut it is true that dixcmciing next speciex ix something special. \Ve depend on other creatures Ior our onn \tIl'\I\;Ii and the old} na} to manage the cmironmcnt is h_\ thoroughl} understanding it. Monitoring \xhat it consists ill in terms ol' the species pt‘cxcnt ix tlte Iit'\I \lcp. 'l‘hc \pecicx \\ e tiI\L'tl\ cl‘ pin} it kc) role in telling the \tor} oI their c\o|ution and what that tells us ahout the origin ol' \pccicx.'
But insects don't ahxap |i\e in cm} \cnti detached itt)tl\L‘\. re\ea|ing them\e|\c\ old} to laugh in the Iacc oI human eradication attempts. Rothera} has had some Iairl} hair} tropical IlL‘ttI'-llli\\L‘\ in ill\ hiological quext. Hon do 'hlundcring into an angr} \uarm ot' \kthpx. coming lace to lace \tith tarantulax. scorpions. snakes and crocodiles. IaIIing doun in a patch ol‘ \pill} cacti. sinking in mudd} \\\ttlllp\. IaIling in torrential rixers. i—‘ctting lost in rain I'orexts and mountainx‘ \ound Ior iltt/ttl'ti\ ol' the joh'.’
It's not all death—delflng though. 'I think one oI' Ill} hext experiences “as hing in a cool. laxtlloning ri\er in northern HUIHItll‘ttx on a hakingl} Iiot da} and looking up into the I'orcxt canop} to see an e\traordinai'_\ numhcrs oI' insectx. 'Irtil} nondcrl'ulf
Graham Rotheray’s lecture ‘In Search of Species: Exploring the Neotropics for Hoverflies’ is on Tue 21 Mar, Royal Museum Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh; see listings for details.
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