May 2008
Powering Up
1 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Are driving games turning us into boy racers? Should you feel remorse for killing pixel people? Do you cheat against the computer? And does it matter? Investigate how computer games are changing our lives, now and in the future…
Streetwise Robots
6 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Meet Snake, a human-size robot who can dance with you. Leading designers for the 21st century will be here to help you explore how adaptive robots are changing our world. Where could you see robots in your life?
God Be in My Head
7 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Is religious belief hard-wired into our brains? Scientists argue over whether there is a region in the brain responsible for spirituality, known as the ‘God spot’. Join Colin Blakemore for a discussion on the biology and evolution of mystical experience.
Listen to Me, I'm a Patient
8 May 2008, 19:00 - 20:30
Today’s patient can face a dizzying array of healthcare choices. A trip to your local hospital – or reflexology, meditation, hypnotherapy…? What would you choose, and why? Tell us what you think and share your own experiences of conventional and complementary healthcare.
Takeaway Festival: Listening Post
13 May 2008, 19:00 - 21:00
Enjoy a private view of the award-winning art installation Listening Post, which explores the ways we communicate online. Join artists Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin as they talk about their work and ask them questions via video linkup.
Takeaway Festival: RFID workshop
14 May 2008, 14:00 - 20:00
Interested in media art? Experienced with Arduino technology, but want to learn more? Our workshop explores how RFID technology can be used in installations, interactive audio and to trigger environmental change. Find out how RFID could be used in your work.
Takeaway Festival: display and performance
14 May 2008, 20:00 - 21:00
Interested in media art? Join us as artists and designers showcase their work produced in Arduino workshops held during the day. Experts will be on hand to discuss the potential for RFID technology and how it may be relevant to artistic endeavours. The display will be followed by a live performance by Sputniko.
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.