October 2007
Touch
2 October 2007, 19:00 - 21:00
Roll up, roll up, for the touchy-feely funfair! Experience how haptic technology replicates touch and movement. Meet the researchers and get hands-on with their latest haptic inventions. How might interacting with virtual environments be useful for training, rehabilitation and communication?
Biology of Freedom
3 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
How do our experiences shape us? How does the brain change in response to our experiences? Psychoanalysis and neuroscience converge in a new book, The Biology of Freedom, exploring the mind–body connections of personal freedom, identity and change.
Spacebots v. Spacemen
4 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
Meet Bridget the Mars Rover robot. Robots are going to the red planet... but what about us? Can we overcome the dangers of space travel or should we leave the exploring to robots? Discuss current technology and our future in space.
Smell
9 October 2007, 19:00 - 21:00
Discover why the human nose is more complicated than a jumbo jet! See how aeronautics is being is used to create artificial noses, and check out the latest 3D models. What potential do artificial sniffers have? Come and find out…
Calling Climate-Change Sceptics
10 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
The majority of scientists accept that global climate change is happening. Yet there’s still so much scepticism among the general public. Is the scientific evidence really that confusing? Come and discuss it with plant, animal and weather experts.
Taste
11 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
What has the taste and texture of future food got to do with nanotechnology? Find out in an evening of discussion on how engineering food on a nano-scale may impact on our health, the environment and food sustainability.
Scientific Racism: A history
16 October 2007, 19:00 - 21:00
Where did the concept of race come from? How and why did nineteenth-century science divide people into races? Investigate the role of science in the system of slavery, domination and power with historians, geneticists and scientific objects from history. Come and share your views.
Dinner@Dana: Superman’s Last Wish
17 October 2007, 18:30 - 20:30
Stem cells are radically reshaping medical research. With extraordinary power to renew and change form they’ve already worked wonders for leukaemia. But what about spinal-cord injuries or neurological disease? Join Dinner@Dana for a fascinating insight into this super cellular science.
Yob Nation
18 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
Late-night no-go areas; threats and disruption at school; hoodies and yobs intimidate local communities. Noise, bullying, drugs, violence, verbal abuse, racial harassment: antisocial behaviour is a problem of our time. Why? Is treatment, punishment or rehabilitation the solution?
Spare Parts: One day you might need them
23 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
After the London bombings, donated skin and blood were used to treat burns. Donated brains and embryos yield valuable research information. The human tissue and embryo bill is set to expand tissue donation – and change our attitudes.
Computational Brain
24 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
Can a computer mimic our brain? Could it ever generate thought? Sophisticated computer models and robots reveal how the human brain works, from brain-cell activity to physical skills to behaviour and learning. What next for the brain?
Eyes on the Game
25 October 2007, 19:00 - 21:00
What do you watch when playing a video game: your character, the virtual environment or even the in-game adverts? We’ll have live demonstrations of the latest eye-tracking technology, so come along to discover the secrets of gameplay and design.
Is Science Colour Blind?
30 October 2007, 19:00 - 21:00
How inclusive is science? Might race have a useful role to play in contemporary science? Talk about the legacies of scientific racism today with those involved in mental healthcare and genetics, and share your views in an open forum.
Nightmare on Queen’s Gate
31 October 2007, 19:00 - 20:30
Sweet dreams? You won’t find them here. Investigate the nightmare, a phenomenon that can reduce grown men to tears. What causes sleep paralysis? How should we interpret these experiences? Step with us into the world of night terror... the bogeyman awaits.