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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NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 13/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail, a tour around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
THE JAGUAR DRIVING EXPERIENCE 14/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB574, Aston University Summary: Jaguar cars have always produced a unique driving experience, involving the driver almost to feel part of the car. Computer Aided Engineering has helped quantify this experience before the car even turns a wheel. The introduction of vehicle dynamics analysis and modelling of ride and the handling attributes have greatly benefitted vehicle development. Come along, listen and be inspired.
PAVING THE WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT 14/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Marquee, Aston University Campus Summary: This event focuses on low-carbon transport and will give people the chance to experience electric cars first-hand with driving tours around the campus. You can learn about Aston's involvement in an EV trial, take part in an interactive quiz, share opinions on low-carbon transport and find out about Aston's ongoing research in this area.
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 14/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as to how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 14/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
MANAGING OUR ENERGY NEEDS FOR THE FUTURE: HOW BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE CITY CAN HELP 14/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: free Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: Discover how Birmingham Science City research is innovating ground-breaking energy technologies by joining internationally renowned scientists from the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham in an interactive event involving live experiments, multimedia and question-time. Develop your knowledge about our energy system, the possibilities to use energy more efficiently and generate it sustainably.
FOOD SECURITY: SHOULD I BE BOTHERED? 14/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: free Venue: Pinsent Mason, Suite 1, mac Summary: Tell us what you think about food security. Are we panicking or doing too little? Are you concerned or not? Play a board game and hear a short talk followed by a balloon debate to find out who you think is best placed to help solve the problems of food security. Eliminate either the politician, the scientist, the farmer, the consumer or the food producer.
LAND ROVER: FIT FOR PURPOSE 14/09/2010   15:00-17:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB554, Aston University Summary: Ever since the first vehicle rolled off the production line over sixty years ago, Land Rover has been an off road powerhouse. The cars do what they say they will, on and off the road. Explore some of the technologies and engineering thinking that give Land Rover the power to be world leaders in all terrain vehicles.
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: BETTER LIVES THROUGH SCIENCE 14/09/2010   16:30-17:30 cost: free Venue: Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire Summary: British Science Association President, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Minister of Science and Innovation from July 1998 until November 2006 shares his thoughts on the theme of the Festival.
BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE CITY: TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION 14/09/2010   17:00-19:00 cost: free Venue: MacDonald Burlington Hotel, Burlington Arcade, 126 New Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B2 4JQ Summary: An insight into how business can benefit from working with R&D institutions.
THE FUTURE OF THE BRAIN, THE BRAIN OF THE FUTURE 14/09/2010   19:00-20:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: G11, Aston University Summary: Join Susan Greenfield to explore how the experiences we have as individuals leave their mark on the connections between our brain cells and shape our minds distinctively. Screen technologies feature in everyday life and are characterised by fast paced visual and auditory stimulation which in turn could activate brain systems that underlie addiction and reward therefore changing future mind-sets.
PRESS CONFERENCE 15/09/2010   08:45-09:15 cost: free Venue: Summary:
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 15/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 15/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
VIRTUAL DESIGN 15/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB461, Aston University Summary: Computer aided design and engineering has revolutionised engineering over the past 20 years allowing engineers to work in an analytical, relatively inexpensive environment. Jaguar Land Rover have recently invested in high definition 3D projection, allowing engineers to virtually 'see' development vehicles. Come along and find out what makes Jaguar Land Rover a world leader in this field.
THE BIOENERGY SOLUTION FOR BIRMINGHAM 15/09/2010   13:00-17:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: The European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) has shown that clean fuel gases and sequestered carbon products can be produced using a broad range of fuels of varying quality including sewage sludge, wood waste and algae. Materials that might otherwise be landfilled are used to produce fuel for combined heat and power systems. So, what might be the implications for Birmingham's fuel future?
BRAIN WAVE IMAGING: NEW VIEWS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN. 15/09/2010   13:00-14:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB161, Aston University Summary: For over a century scientists have been measuring brain waves, but the latest technology enables us to accurately locate where in the brain these signals come from. In this live video demonstration from the Aston Brain Centre, you will have a chance to see brain wave imaging taking place and discuss with the science team how this technique is being used to diagnose and help treat brain diseases.
BREATHING COUNTRY 15/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: G63, Aston University Summary: What data do you put online? Would you risk your privacy for the greater good? Simon lives his life online. Lizzie feels her privacy is threatened. Richard is promoting the NHS's new database, which Janet hopes will make her medical research easier. When is privacy being sacrificed, and when is it worth it? This play opens up these issues and is followed by an audience debate.
THE KAVLI PRIZE 15/09/2010   14:00-15:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: Cadbury Lecture Theatre, Aston Business School Summary: It has become a tradition that one of the Kavli Prize Laureates give a lecture in connection with the British Science Festival. This year the speaker will come directly from the Kavli Prize Week in Oslo to the British Science Festival in Birmingham.
FIREWORKS, RAINBOWS AND MAGIC BULLET MEDICINES 15/09/2010   17:00-18:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB644, Aston University Summary: Is there a connection between the fun of fireworks, the beauty of rainbows, and the design of new medicines? Using chemical demonstrations, Professor Patrick Bailey will show the link between these areas of science, and how his interest in explosions and colour has led to research into new ways of curing diseases.
THE NEW OPTIMISTS: SCIENTISTS VIEW TOMORROW'S WORLD AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US 15/09/2010   19:00-20:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB549, Aston University Summary: Broadcaster Sue Beardsmore chairs a lively discussion between the audience and Tim Bugg (biochemist), Russell Beale (computer scientist), Miriam Gifford (plant scientist), Paul Moss (oncologist & clinical haematologist) and Gina Rippon (neuroscientist) all of whom have contributed to 'The New Optimists' - a book in which 80 scientists answer the question: "What are you optimistic about?"
BEING A LANGUAGE DETECTIVE: EXPLORING LINGUISTICS AS A FORENSIC SCIENCE 16/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: Can you tell one friend's texts from another's? Have you ever spotted who wrote something just by the language style used? If so, have you considered how useful this could be for solving crimes? Come and see how experts at Aston's Centre for Forensic Linguistics have helped the police investigate crimes including murder and terrorism, and have a go at cracking some real cases yourself.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: FROM DRUG DISCOVERY TO NANOTECHNOLOGY 16/09/2010   10:00-11:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB644, Aston University Summary: This lecture is split into two parts. The aim of the first part is to explain what synthetic organic chemistry is, what the processes involved in drug discovery are, and to demonstrate how it is pivotal in the discovery process. The second part of the lecture aims to explain what nanotechnology is, to demonstrate how useful it can be and to place the hype and myth surrounding it into context.
UK-CHINA SYMPOSIUM ON CLEAN ENERGY AND NANOTECHNOLOGY (THURS) 16/09/2010   10:00-18:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: NG09, Aston University Summary: Join scientists from both the UK and China to present the latest developments in clean and sustainable energy and to discuss how materials science and nanotechnology can tackle the growing global problem of greenhouse gas emission and the energy crisis.
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 16/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 16/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL AWARD LECTURE: LETTING GEORGE DO IT. ARE WE OVERAUTOMATING OUR LIVES? 16/09/2010   12:00-13:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB644, Aston University Summary: Aircraft flight crew colloquially refer to the autopilot as 'George'. George now looks after our lives in many other areas too, as automation plays a significant role not just in planes, but in trains and automobiles, at work, at home, and everywhere in between. But does it really make our lives easier?
THE STORY BEHIND 'THE NEW OPTIMISTS' 16/09/2010   12:00-14:00 cost: free Venue: Waterstones, 24 High Street B4 7SL Summary: 80 scientists give their reasons for optimism in this "most exhilarating of books" looking to the future on topics ranging from ecosystems to genome sequencing. Publisher Kate Cooper and editor Keith Richards tell the story behind 'The New Optimists'�� — how it began, the brief, the editorial decisions — as well as what surprised them and what they're now optimistic about.
COSMETICS: AMAZING SCIENCE APPLIED DAILY 16/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB531, Aston University Summary: How many cosmetics and toiletries did you use today? Take an exciting journey into product innovation, past, present and future, with scientists who between them have over 100 years' experience in the industry. Find out why we add certain ingredients to products and what happens if we don't! You'll even create and take home your very own shower gel in this 2 hour science spectacular.
DID YOU SEE THAT? 16/09/2010   13:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: MB276, Aston University Summary: Vast numbers of people, young and old, use mobile phones. Unfortunately, walking and using a mobile phone puts users at higher risk of being involved in an accident. During this drop-in event you can join Aston University researchers to test your own ability to walk and text safely in a dynamic environment within a state-of-the-art research lab.
THE ARMCHAIR CHEMIST ONLINE 16/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB461, Aston University Summary: From websites to wikis, and blogs to twitter, online communities and social networking tools can open up chemical communication to a wider audience, not limited by time zone or space. This event explores forms of online scientific communication, highlighting blogs, citizen science projects and communities that enable anyone to get involved from the comfort of their armchair.
VEHICLE DURABILITY AND ROBUSTNESS 16/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB554, Aston University Summary: How do you build vehicles with high levels of durability and reliability, that stay that way throughout their life? Jaguar Land Rover durability and reliability development is intensive and thorough, both in the virtual and the real world. Our cars cope with crowded city streets or demanding off road terrain. How does technology improve vehicle durability and reliability? Find out here.
FROM NANOMEDICINE TO JET ENGINES: WHAT DID ADVANCED MATERIALS EVER DO FOR YOU? 16/09/2010   16:00-18:00 cost: free Venue: MB108, Aston University Summary: From nano-structured matter exhibiting radically new physical, chemical and biological properties to multi-functional composites that intelligently address complex engineering problems, the scope of advanced materials spans every segment of society. Here we discuss how the latest developments in materials are impacting on the world today and look at what we can expect in the future.
FIRSTS FOR LIFE: DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE ORIGINS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS 17/09/2010   10:00-13:30 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: G11, Aston University Summary: How and when animals and plants first evolved is controversial. Different investigative approaches and different types of evidence lead to different conclusions about these fundamental evolutionary events. Join experts to review the evidence from fossils and other sources and provide an overview of the current state of play in understanding the origins of deep branches in the tree of life.
OBESITY AND METABOLISM: NEW RESEARCH IN THE WEST MIDLANDS REGION 17/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: free Venue: MB146, Aston University Summary: This event includes presentations from research professors in the field of obesity and metabolism and showcases the new investment in research infrastructure under Birmingham Science City. The keynote speaker is Professor Sudhesh Kumar from the University of Warwick.
FROM DRUG DESIGN TO CANCER DIAGNOSTICS: A TOUR OF BIRMINGHAM'S NATIONAL MAGNET LAB 17/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: Henry Wellcome Building, Brailsford Drive, University of Birmingham Summary: This tour of the UK's largest superconducting magnet facility includes talks by three leading scientists. Drs Farhat Khani, Andrew Peet and Ulrich Guenther reveal how proteins behave, drug molecules are designed and metabolic biomarkers can be identified. They lead biological research teams that are discovering new ways to detect and combat childhood brain tumours, colorectal cancer & leukaemia.
THE LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW 17/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Main Building, Upper foyer, Aston University Summary: Photonics – the transmission and processing of information using light – has changed our lives in the last 40 years. This technology underpins the internet and increasingly is being used in sensing applications – in bridges, along gas pipelines and inside the body. Come along and see an optical guitar pickup, a musical floor and a fibre communications link.
HBM GO-KART CHALLENGE 17/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Guild Hall, Students' Guild, Aston University Summary: It's not just luck that makes racing cars go fast! Engineers follow a rigorous process requiring analysis at the design stage and verification of strain at the prototype stage. Engineers can monitor events using real-time wireless systems that transmit complex data to the base station. See how this data is collected and interpreted as you test your go-kart skills balancing speed with wear.
LASERS: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE LIGHT FANTASTIC 17/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: What is the story of lasers and how do they work? Come and see just how unique they are and what a diverse range of applications they have been used for over the last 50 years in ultrafast communications, the entertainment industry, industry and media.
LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLES 17/09/2010   10:00-12:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB549, Aston University Summary: Lightweight vehicles present a cleaner more sustainable future for the automotive industry. Building lighter vehicles is one of the best ways to improve fuel consumption and emissions. It's not just about vehicle emissions though- for example Jaguar Land Rover are moving towards using 75% recycled aluminium in their vehicles. Come along to hear more about Jaguar Land Rover's future direction.
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 17/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
UK-CHINA SYMPOSIUM ON CLEAN ENERGY AND NANOTECHNOLOGY (FRI) 17/09/2010   10:00-18:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: NG09, Aston University Summary: We bring together scientists from both the UK and China to present the latest developments in clean and sustainable energy and to discuss how materials science and nanotechnology can tackle the growing global problem of greenhouse gas emission and the energy crisis.
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 17/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
WHAT IS IT THINKING ABOUT? BUILDING BRAIN 'TISSUE' IN THE LABORATORY 17/09/2010   11:00-12:00 cost: free Venue: Main Building, Sumpner LT, Aston University Summary: With our aging population, the incidences of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Motor Neurone diseases are increasing and without new human experimental models of brain function, it is unlikely we will be able to understand and treat these afflictions. This talk explores the first steps towards a laboratory model of functioning human brain tissue and also the possible implications of this research.
LIGHTING THE WAY: THE FUTURE OF LASERS IN OUR LIVES 17/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: Since the demonstration of the first working laser 50 years ago they have become a very widely used tool in many areas from medicine to communications. This event will highlight what the next 50 years will bring for laser development and laser-based applications. Learn about topics as diverse as fusion energy, quantum computing, gravitational wave detection and disease diagnosis.
ENGINEERING THE FUTURE 17/09/2010   13:00-15:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB146, Aston University Summary: As Europe moves towards stricter vehicle emissions standards the automotive sector is busy investing in hybrid technology. How do you overcome the challenge of building premium luxury vehicles whilst keeping the performance and refinement that distinguish a brand? Come along and get an insight into Jaguar Land Rover's ventures into the exciting world of hybrid powertrains and electrification.
FUEL FOR THE FUTURE 17/09/2010   14:00-18:00 cost: free Venue: Haworth Building, Lecture theatre 203- University of Birmingham Summary: There are scientific challenges for the development of new sustainable energy sources. Come along and experience for yourself the latest cutting edge developments in our quest for the fuels of the future.
PAST WORLDS - LOST WORLDS - DIGITAL WORLDS 17/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: MB554, Aston University Summary: New technology is revolutionising how archaeologists delve into the past. From digital objects to landscapes, through geophysics, GIS and creation of virtual worlds, it provides alternative routes to seeing and understanding past and present. We explore the exciting and varied relationships between archaeology and computing using a range of digital evidence and reconstruction techniques.
HOW RISKY IS IT AND HOW IGNORANT ARE WE? 17/09/2010   16:00-17:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB550, Aston University Summary: Uncertainty may be due to unpredictability or ignorance, and often there's a messy mixture of the two.Join us to explore how uncertainty can be quantified, whether it's about football results, swine flu or climate change. It’s difficult to be mathematical when we don't fully understand what's going on and how the world works,so at some point should we just own up and admit that we don’t know?
LEADING LIGHTS - MEET THE FACES BEHIND THE LASERS 17/09/2010   17:00-18:00 cost: free Venue: MB517, Aston University Summary: A relaxed evening reception including interviews with some of the leading experts in laser science today. Guests will have the opportunity to meet the scientists and ask questions in an informal environment.
HOW SHOULD WE KEEP THE LIGHTS ON? 17/09/2010   17:30-19:30 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: Haworth Building, Lecture theatre 101- University of Birmingham Summary: The UK will need to spend up to £200 billion over the next decade to replace ageing power stations, to meet our goals for renewable energy and climate change. How will we achieve this? Join leaders from the world of politics, the power industry and environmental organisations to discuss these important issues.
TRYING NOT TO KILL PEOPLE: THE PHYSICS OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS 17/09/2010   18:00-20:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: G11, Aston University Summary: British police use several different "less lethal" weapons. Have you ever wondered how they were chosen? Or what tests were done to look at their safety and effectiveness? From the everyday to the ridiculous, you can find out why some made the grade and others didn't, volunteer to help show how they work and see pictures and video of the weapons in action. A career in physics is far from dull...
VOLCANIC ASH: THE FULL STORY 17/09/2010   18:00-20:00 cost: £ 5.00 Venue: Main Building, Sumpner LT, Aston University Summary: In April the Eyjafjallajokul volcano in Iceland erupted spreading ash clouds across Europe that disrupted flights for weeks, costing the airline industry hundreds of millions of pounds. Find out about the geological and meteorological aspects of the situation, the results of research into the impact of ash on jet engines, and the challenges to regulators facing scientific uncertainty.
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE BY LIGHT NIGHT 17/09/2010   20:00-23:00 cost: free Venue: Starts at The Cube by The Mailbox waterside quay. B1 1RL Summary: An interactive 3 hr event discovering community science and sharing participation from the enlightenment to present day. On City waterside locations from the Mailbox to Cambrian Wharf encounter light projections of science in a changing natural landscape. Be a community scientist and learn more about participation: www.opalwestmidlands.org events
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 18/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 18/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
MAKE IT MOLECULAR 18/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: makeitmolecular is all about molecules. You can make a model of a molecule and have your picture taken with it, from caffeine to teflon, vitamin C to prozac, or why not invent your own! Reconnect with your molecular world
LORD KELVIN AWARD LECTURE: THE BIG BANG DILEMMA 18/09/2010   12:00-13:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: Main Building, Sumpner LT, Aston University Summary: Particle accelerators were initially developed to study the fundamental nature of matter itself but in fact have changed the way we live our lives. It's clear that accelerators will continue to play a crucial role in society. However, given a limited budget, how do we choose between the next Big Bang machine to delve into the fundamental questions of the Universe and a new technology?
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE REALLY HELPFUL ROBOTS? 18/09/2010   14:00-16:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB404 C+D, Aston University Summary: Robots interacting with humans are imminent, initially as assistive devices in special environments (work places or rehabilitation) but they will become commonplace. Robots will need to be able to see, act and learn as humans do and to communicate in human terms. Explore new research giving insights into how these interactions can guide future robot design and illuminate how human brains work.
THE MATHS AND COMPUTING MAGIC SHOW 18/09/2010   16:00-17:30 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB550, Aston University Summary: Witness an amazing magic show and sneak behind the scenes to explore the maths and computing powering the tricks.
THE MATHS AND COMPUTING MAGIC SHOW 18/09/2010   16:00-17:30 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB550, Aston University Summary: Witness an amazing magic show and sneak behind the scenes to explore the maths and computing powering the tricks.
DIAMOND: FROM GEMSTONE TO NANOELECTRONICS 19/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: Diamonds are forever and are also a girl's best friend. This poster exhibition highlights the unique properties of diamonds, and focuses on the hi-tech research taking place in the UK.
MAKE IT MOLECULAR 19/09/2010   10:00-17:00 cost: free Venue: Summary: makeitmolecular is all about molecules. You can make a model of a molecule and have your picture taken with it, from caffeine to teflon, vitamin C to prozac, or why not invent your own! Reconnect with your molecular world
NATURE OF BIRMINGHAM: TRAIL AROUND THE CITY CENTRE 19/09/2010   10:00-16:00 cost: free Venue: Start at Central Library, B3 3QH, Chamberlain Square Summary: Take our self-guided floral trail around the city centre where you will find ten markers with interactive clues as how you can record and help sustain the nature and wildlife of Birmingham's green and brown patches. The Trail location boards and GIS references are on the OPAL web page: www.opalwestmidlands.org On Fridays 10 & 17 there are related Open Light Nights.
THE SERIOUS SIDE OF SCIENTIFIC TRIVIA 19/09/2010   16:00-17:00 cost: £ 3.00 Venue: MB518, Aston University Summary: This event weaves together several fascinating breakthroughs in science that have all been borne out of seemingly 'trivial science'.Explore breakthroughs from game theory, fractals and weather forecasting, right though to the key to the cosmos. Come and be the first to hear the results of the "Great British Knot Experiment": a mass public participation activity in novel scientific research.
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