PROVISIONAL ACTIVITY INCLUDES: Great North Museum Planetarium Show (Name tbc) Join Dr Andrew Fletcher, Newcastle University, on this new planetarium show developed specially for the British Science Festival! Night and Day in Ancient Civilisations In Ancient Egypt, The scarab-beetle god Khepera was believed to push the setting sun along the sky in the same manner as the beetle with his ball of dung. Join staff from the Great North Museum on this adventure through their collections, looking at the symbolism night and day held in different civilisations. Lunar behaviour! No we’re not talking werewolves! Many of the planet’s species have been shown to moderate behaviour according to lunar cycles. Frogs have been shown to synchronise their mating activity by the full Moon, and African dung beetles, oddly, can walk in a straighter line when the Moon is out. Tour the Great North Museum’s Natural History collections – and find out some new and wonderful facts. What's hiding in your mouth?! Why does your dentist make you brush your teeth? Get up and close with bugs found in the plaque on your teeth, view your cheek cells under a microscope and take part in a giant game to show how bacteria interact with cells in your mouth. Newcastle University Dental school graduate students will be on hand to help answer your questions. Why do bats sleep in the day? It’s a well known fact that bats sleep during the day, usually in dark caves or caverns, hanging upside down with wings tucked in. Find out more about why bats do the way they do, and have a go at making your own ‘bat box’ to take home with you. Why we all love to sleep! (Part 1: 20 mins) This talk, aimed at parents, highlights the importance of good sleep for children’s physical and psychological growth, and looks at sleep over our lifespan and the normal changes that occur. Northumbria researchers will discuss the impact of reading to children at night on healthy sleep, and other self-guided strategies to help parents with children’s’ sleep problems. There will be a Q&A session at the end in order to stimulate debate about the role of sleep in health. Why we all love to sleep! (Part 2: 20 mins) This talk aimed at children will look at how environment and routines can affect sleep, and the importance of sleep for growth and healthy development. Children and parents will be shown a series of memory and attention tasks to carry out both in the evening before bed and in the morning before breakfast, to help explore links between sleep and memory. Film Screenings Night at the Museum 1 and 2 to feature - obviously. Morning Yoga session An early morning yoga/gentle exercise session for early risers (from 7am). Breakfast at the Great North Museum (8am-9am) This event will be focused around Northumbria’s research on breakfast, specifically looking at milk (the natural sports drink) and portion sizes. Kellogg’s are likely to be a sponsor for this event.