The British Science Festival in Birmingham

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We hope you find lots of events to intrigue, amuse and enlighten you and your family.

For more information about events such as audience level and people taking part click on the name of the event. Where events are bookable through the British Science Association, you can book by clicking on the shopping trolley next to the event entry. Where no shopping cart is shown, click on the event title for more information about how to book.

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FINGERPRINTING THE ATMOSPHERE 14/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Ever wondered why the seaside smells the way it does or what makes trees smell of tree? Your nose is pretty effective at identifying the millions of smells in nature, but sometimes we need to identify them even more precisely, especially if they have the potential to harm our health or environment. Challenge your nose against an electronic one and see what you can identify!
DESIGNING AND BUILDING BIRMINGHAM'S ZERO CARBON HOUSE 14/09/2010   10:00-11:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB108, Aston University Summary: Join Architect John Christophers as he shares his experiences of creating a unique zero carbon house in inner city Birmingham. Following this talk there will be a chance to visit the house at 103 Tindal Street, B12 9QU.Coaches are leaving from Aston between 12-3pm on a first come, first serve basis.
LANDSCAPES OF THE FUTURE 14/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB518, Aston University Summary: What will our countryside, towns and cities look like in 2050? As the climate changes and the population grows, how can we feed, clothe and support the multitude of people on the planet without damaging our natural resources? The solution must be to use our land in novel ways. Explore what landscapes of the future may look like and the innovative ways we might interact with them.
THE END OF THE WORLD OR HAPPY ENDING? MEDIA REPORTING OF CLIMATE CHANGE 14/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB146, Aston University Summary: Last December expectations were running high for the climate summit in Copenhagen. The media helped create a public drama. The language used in media reports mixed scientific aspects with politics, and both with morals and a call to action. Find out about some key developments in the public discussion about climate change, and why these were important for the ensuing disappointment.
VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE THEATRE 14/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Guild Hall, Students' Guild, Aston University Summary: Our landscapes are constantly changing, sometimes controversially. Pressures include climate change, providing food and fuel, and a growing human population. Take a tour through the landscapes of tomorrow with the Virtual Landscape Theatre. Explore different options for development, including forestry, agriculture and wind farms, and vote on which scenario you want to see become a reality.
WHY WE DISAGREE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE 14/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: Climate change is not only about scientific facts to be discovered or problems to be solved. It represents the different ideas, values and interests attached to our collective goals and aspirations. Join Professor Mike Hulme from the University of East Anglia to explore the scientific, political and cultural aspects which make climate change such a difficult and controversial issue.
FINGERPRINTING THE ATMOSPHERE 15/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Ever wondered why the seaside smells the way it does or what makes trees smell of tree? Your nose is pretty effective at identifying the millions of smells in nature, but sometimes we need to identify them even more precisely, especially if they have the potential to harm our health or environment. Challenge your nose against an electronic one and see what you can identify!
AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE WONDER OF A BOTANICAL ODDITY: THE GREATEST SMELL ON EARTH 15/09/2010   19:30-20:30 cost: free Venue: The Old Rep Summary: The world's smelliest flower is the Rafflesia arnoldii the smell of which is so strong it has been reported up to a mile away. Recently a much rarer plant has been discovered which has the dubious distinction of being smellier than Rafflesia. The Dulcis foetidus grows in the Amazon and has never before been brought into the UK. This will be your opportunity to smell this botanical oddity.
EARTHQUAKES: PERCEPTION, PROTECTION AND PREDICTION 16/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB461, Aston University Summary: The earthquakes that caused devastation in Haiti on 12 January 2010 and in Chile on 27 February 2010 have reminded us once more of the tremendous destructive power of nature. What are scientists doing about it? How has our understanding of earthquakes changed through time? Can we predict them and how do we deal with the consequences?
THE REMARKABLE SOLAR SYSTEM 16/09/2010   10:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: G11, Aston University Summary: Physics and Astronomy Section President Professor Alan O'Neill, director of the National Centre for Earth Observation leads this event covering different aspects of how we actually monitor the Earth for signs of climate change, and how those observations inform our understanding of the Earth's climate.
FINGERPRINTING THE ATMOSPHERE 16/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Ever wondered why the seaside smells the way it does or what makes trees smell of tree? Your nose is pretty effective at identifying the millions of smells in nature, but sometimes we need to identify them even more precisely, especially if they have the potential to harm our health or environment. Challenge your nose against an electronic one and see what you can identify!
AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FUTURE WITH LESSONS FROM MUSLIM HERITAGE 16/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB404 C+D, Aston University Summary: After the Roman Empire, there was an extraordinary blossoming of scientific activity throughout North Africa, Spain and Southern Italy for about 1000 years after 600 CE. FSTC and 1001 Inventions explore some of the fascinating innovations of this period and their relevance to improving our environment hence creating better lives in today's world and society.
TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT 16/09/2010   16:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Main Building, Sumpner LT, Aston University Summary: Today transport is the third largest contributor to global CO2 emissions. Almost a billion vehicles are burning over half of total oil production. In less than 20 years the number of cars in the world will double. We can't go on like this. Find out about the key sustainable transport technologies which can deliver improved personal mobility whilst meeting the global target of a 50% reduction.
FINGERPRINTING THE ATMOSPHERE 17/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Ever wondered why the seaside smells the way it does or what makes trees smell of tree? Your nose is pretty effective at identifying the millions of smells in nature, but sometimes we need to identify them even more precisely, especially if they have the potential to harm our health or environment. Challenge your nose against an electronic one and see what you can identify!
BIODIVERSITY 2010 17/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: free Venue: MB461, Aston University Summary: What next for nature? Join Jonathan Silvertown, Professor of Ecology at the Open University, to discuss what biodiversity is, why it matters, its present status and future prospects. You can then venture outside to take part in the OPAL Biodiversity survey, with the scientists who developed it.
HYDROGEN POWERED NARROW BOAT 17/09/2010   12:00-14:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: Summary: Rising temperatures and sea levels; power cuts and energy crises – problems for the future that need to be solved now. Although researchers are working to alleviate the situation, we really need the next generation of scientists to rise to the challenge of providing energy into the future. Visit our hydrogen powered narrow boat to learn more about the future of hydrogen energy.
CHARLES LYELL AWARD LECTURE: WATERING THIRSTY CITIES 17/09/2010   12:00-13:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB644, Aston University Summary: People in developed countries use much more water than is necessary, while nearly 1 billion people in developing countries do not have access to safe drinking water. Engineers have succeeded in supplying constant water supplies to houses in most cities and although successful it does mean that people develop extravagant uses for water that are way beyond our needs for hygiene.
THE WATER CHALLENGE: WHERE ARE ALL THE GOOD IDEAS? 17/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: G11, Aston University Summary: Lack of access to water leads to health crises and political instability around the world. Where is the innovation to address this essential issue? Can corporate contests, like the new Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge, really have an impact? A debate on how best to identify and advance good ideas on improving access to our most precious resource
POPULATION CHANGE AND THE FUTURE OF THE UK'S POPULATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY 17/09/2010   16:00-18:00 cost: free Venue: MB461, Aston University Summary: Prof Falkingham will deliver a lecture on the question of population change. Specifically, the lecture will look at population change in the United Kingdom and consider its implications for policy-making. The audience will have the opportunity to ask Prof Falkingham questions during the Q and A session following the lecture.
FUTURE CITIES 17/09/2010   16:00-17:45 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB549, Aston University Summary: Cities are growing – fast. Every week 1.3 million more people arrive in cities, and by 2050 some 70% of the world's population will be city dwellers. But what will cities of the future be like? Will they be managed sustainably and if so, how? What will they look like and be like to live in? This event, taking place in one of Britain's largest cities, will look at the changes in store.
BAT AND MOTH NIGHT 17/09/2010   19:00-23:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: Moat House Farm, Moat House Ln, Shustoke, Coleshill, Birmingham, West Midlands B46 2RL Summary: Discover some of the wildlife that can be found at night. See and hear bats and look for their food. Use our bat detectors and set moth traps using sugaring. An event for all the family.
MEET THE MINIBEASTS OF HATTON BUG ZOO 18/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Centenary Square Summary: Get close to, and handle, some of the residents from Hatton Bug Zoo, plus others brought in for the day. Definitely not an activity for the squeamish.
EXPLORE NATURE 18/09/2010   10:00-15:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Help scientists discover what the state of our natural environment is by participating in our fun, free, wildlife surveys. Find out what lives in the soil and why it is so important. Discover what a lichen is and how they can be an indicator for air quality. Explore the biodiversity of a hedgerow. Bring lots of enthusiasm for the outside world! Meet us outside the Lakeside Conference Centre.
HUMANS AND THE CLIMATE: PAST AND FUTURE 18/09/2010   16:00-17:30 cost: free Venue: Main Building, Sumpner LT, Aston University Summary: Professor Iain Stewart, presenter of popular shows 'How Earth Made Us and 'Earth: The Power of the Planet', brings his passion for geology to the Festival, as he explores the impact our actions have had on the Earth, and thinks about the effects this might have on all our futures.
FANTASTIC HOME ROADSHOW 19/09/2010   10:00-15:30 cost: free Venue: Centenary Square Summary: A chance to learn more about energy use and sustainability in your home.
EXPLORE NATURE 19/09/2010   10:00-15:00 cost: free Venue: Aston University Campus Summary: Help scientists discover what the state of our natural environment is by participating in our fun, free, wildlife surveys. Find out what lives in the soil and why it is so important. Discover what a lichen is and how they can be an indicator for air quality. Explore the biodiversity of a hedgerow. Bring lots of enthusiasm for the outside world! Meet us outside the Lakeside Conference Centre.
UNPOISONING THE LAND 19/09/2010   11:00-13:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB549, Aston University Summary: The city of Birmingham has long been a focal point for scientific and industrial development. But Birmingham's industrial past has left a legacy of land contamination that presents an ongoing challenge to scientists, local government and members of the public. This event is an opportunity for these sectors to engage in discussion and debate about improving quality of life by 'unpoisoning the land'
POND DIPPING AND BUG HUNTS AT HATTON COUNTRY WORLD 19/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: Hatton Country World, Hatton, Warwick CV35 7LD Summary: Discover the world of hidden creatures that lurk in our ponds, streams and grasslands in an afternoon of exploration.
GOING BANANAS FOR FAIRTRADE: THE SCIENCE BEHIND ETHICAL SHOPPING 19/09/2010   14:30-16:00 cost: free Venue: The Library Theatre, Central Library Summary: Do you choose Fairtrade? Join Dr Richard Cooke, an expert in behaviour and motivational theory, to explore what motivates people to make ethical choices when doing their weekly shop. Discover the benefits that buying Fairtrade goods brings to the producers and their families overseas and also to us as consumers. Sample delicious Fairtrade treats such as chocolate, nuts, sweets, coffee and more.
29 events

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