Breaking the Silence
20 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Environmentalist Rachel Carson fought a global war against pesticide use. On the centenary of her birth, Liz Rothschild revisits her life in a provocative play. Watch the play then discuss the issues raised.
Dinner@Dana: Tune In
21 May 2008, 18:30 - 20:30
Humans have been making and enjoying music for thousands of years. Enrich the soundtrack of your life with good food and debate at Dinner@Dana as we discover more about the science behind our favourite tunes.
Beat the Panel: Save the planet
22 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Root for the hottest environmental entrepreneurs as they try to get their carbon-cutting innovations past a panel of climate change and business experts. Hear the straight-talking feedback and cast your vote for the best idea.
Addict
27 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Alcohol, drugs, gambling… Where does a bad habit end and addiction begin? What is the lure for one person that another can easily resist? Addiction is dangerous. It damages families and friendships as well as the addict. What can be done?
Making Life
28 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Craig Venter’s announcement of the first man-made genome this year heralded a new era for biology. So is synthetic life ‘real’? How do we define ‘life’ anyway? Consider the potentials and pitfalls of synthetic life with those creating it.
Makeshift Minds
29 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Is the rational human mind an impossibility? Are our brains just a makeshift solution that somehow works? Might this view of the human brain help us improve? Reconsider human nature with author Gary Marcus and others, and have your own say.
Food for Thought
3 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
From fair trade to organic, today’s food fanatics face bewildering choices. Can food be a good deal for producers and for the environment? Should organic status take into account food miles? Consider food sustainability from different perspectives.
Future Visions
4 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Arthur C Clarke’s writings inspired generations of scientists and engineers. But did he and other science fiction writers really influence the science and technology around us? Come along as we look at how science fiction can become science fact.
Sorted Sounds
5 June 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
Is there so much music choice you can’t decide what to listen to? Meet engineers developing new search systems for the music junkie generation. Trial software that ‘X-rays’ music to match your mood, and feed into the development of new software in this interactive evening of sound sorting.
Stolen Identity
10 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Social networking sites are crammed with personal data about us. Can we be confident about sharing our vital stats online? Get clued up about the risks your online identity poses and find out what can be done to protect it.
Water for Life
11 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
From droughts to floods, the world is waking up to increasingly frequent water crises. But what does the future hold for this thirsty planet? Join us as we dive into the issue and ask how we should be protecting our most precious resource.
Body Shopping
12 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Has the human body become a commodity? Are transplantation, IVF and medical research turning our tissues, genes and organs into the currency of the future? Join us as author Donna Dickenson explores what’s on sale in the ‘body shop’.
Virtuoso Stress
17 June 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
Musicians experience huge mental and physical stress during performances. Watch engineers monitor classical musicians’ rising blood pressure and heart rates rise as they perform live. And find out how this information can help you with performance anxiety and stress management.
Dinner@Dana: Copying Nature
18 June 2008, 18:30 - 20:30
Imagine if we could hang by one toe from the ceiling like geckos, or create a material with the same patterns as butterfly wings. Jonathan Wood talks about biomimetics and how exploring nature can help us come up with ground-breaking technologies.
Feeling Frisky?
19 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Are human beings naturally faithful? Are women more monogamous than men? Come and find out about the facts behind fidelity and hear how we shape up compared with the rest of the animal kingdom.
Frozen
24 June 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
How does the abused become the abuser? Bryony Lavery's play tells of a mother's loss of her young daughter, and a psychiatrist's efforts to understand the serial rapist who killed her. Watch Fresh Glory Productions perform excerpts from the play and discuss the issues involved.
Building on Quicksand
25 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
What would a dramatic shift in climate mean for the cities we live in? Inspired by Superfusionlab’s installation Snow City, we discuss how architects and urban planners could redesign our landscape to react or adapt to extreme changes in tomorrow’s weather.
Crime Scene Crackdown
26 June 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Visit our ‘crime scene’ as forensic science experts reveal the new and controversial research that could give investigators more clues than ever before. But will it mean a crime-busting breakthrough or a worrying invasion of our privacy?
The Light Switch Project
1 July 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Investigate basic everyday activities, including flicking on a light switch, with artists and scientists. From practicalities to the ethics of climate change, explore consumer habits, energy efficiency and sustainability in a night of scratch performances featuring artists from BAC (Battersea Arts Centre).
The Sunshine Fix
2 July 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Does sunshine make us happy? We’re a nation of sun-worshippers – but is our desire to catch a few rays a psychological, physiological or cultural need? Join us as we soak up what drives our burning obsession with sunshine.
Intelligence
3 July 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
What is intelligence? Can we measure it? Who determines levels of intelligence and where does genetics come into it? Consider the historical, scientific, cultural and environmental perspectives on this controversial issue, and have your say.
In the Mood for Dancing
8 July 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
A dancer performs in total darkness. Points of light illuminate her movements. Is watching dance enough to make you feel like dancing? Take part in this live experiment investigating emotion perception and dance. No dance skills necessary, dancing shoes optional.
Extreme Tourism
9 July 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Summer is here – but where will you be holidaying? Climbing Everest, cruising to Antarctica or flying into space? Destinations once inaccessible are now within reach. Join writer Piers Bizony and others to discuss the impacts of our ever-extending wanderlust.
Making Music
10 July 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
Calling all composers… what can the latest software engineering offer you? Check out music composed on software designed to be accessible to sighted and visually impaired individuals. Discuss the creative potential of this software and other technologies for making music.