2016 The Times Cheltenham Science Festival brochure

7-12 June 2016 Box Office 01242 850270 cheltenhamfestivals.com #cheltscifest

THANK YOU to our Partners and Supporters Title Partner

Principal Partners

Major Partners

Strategic Partner

Festival Partners

Official Rail Partner

2

In Association with

WELCOME Welcome to the 2016 #cheltscifest which celebrates new frontiers and the disruptive thinkers who work at the edges of human ability and understanding.

Frontiers Events at the interface between science and art, culture and politics.

Messiaen’s Maths With Marcus du Sautoy page 25 The Times Debate: Can Science And Faith Coexist? page 17 Brexit And British Science page 26

Designing the Future From Shakespeare for the modern age to cities of the future, discover how science and design transform the way we live.

See centre pages.

A few days after Tim Peake is due to return from the International Space Station, we explore the final frontier: space. From Virgin’s new space plane to colonising Mars, we look at the greatest challenges for space exploration and how we can conquer them. ‘Boldly go’ into space with topics including the ISS, aliens, Planet 9, space ports, smashing galaxies, Star Trek, and more.

The household virtual reality headset, Oculus Rift, goes on sale this year. It began as a prototype developed by a teenager in a garage and became a $2 billion acquisition by Facebook. 2016 will see a dramatic shift in the way we interact with technology. VR that can create immersive worlds, companion robots that can be emotional, and driverless cars are no longer visions of the future: they are here. In the year that computers started writing poetry and a driverless car had its first accident, we look at the hardware having the biggest impact right now.

The new field of synthetic biology applies engineering principles to the complexity of living systems, making biology a new material for design. It is just one example of the powerful connection between science and design, a relationship that can help expedite innovation and progress. This year, we have developed a creative partnership with the Cheltenham Design Foundation to bring you a strand of events that looks at the interface between design and science (see Designing the Future, centre pages).

Whether it is attending one of our Festival events, going on a voyage into space in our new Space Dome, or taking part in one of our free …around town activities, I hope you enjoy discovering new frontiers at this year’s Festival.

David Reid Festival Director 3

Become a member and get the newspapers for less

from

£4

A WEEK

0800 158 2818

Quote ‘Classic’ Sign up at timespacks.com/classic

4

READ • VISIT • WATCH • JOIN

Membership to our Classic Pack, 6 Day Pack and 5 Day Pack is for new and eligible existing customers only. UK residents aged 18 or over. Full terms and conditions apply, see store3.thetimes.co.uk

EDF Energy is delighted to be the Associate Title Partner of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival.

Come and find out about our programmes encouraging young people into Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM): visit us in the EDF Energy Zone in Imperial Square, or inside the Discover Zone in Cheltenham Town Hall, to find out how we are inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers and thinkers.

As the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, EDF Energy is committed to helping young people understand the great opportunities that a career in a STEM related industry can bring.

Our Pretty Curious campaign aims to change the fact that only one in seven people who work in science, technology, engineering and maths today is female.

You can find out more at www.edfenergy.com/prettycurious 5

THEMES Our special themes this year focus on two of the most exciting topics of our age: technology and space. We’ve got the perfect people to help explore them too – BBC Technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones and former president of Virgin Galactic Will Whitehorn.

Technology

Events to look out for:

The Secret Life Of GCHQ S017 Tuesday 7 June, 6.30-7.30pm Times columnist Ben Macintyre interviewed the Director of GCHQ in an unprecedented tour of the facilities. Now Ben’s back in Cheltenham to give us an insider look at what it’s like to be inside the secretive intelligence gathering agency, in an interview with an unnameable senior GCHQ official.

Robots: Emotional Companions? S033 Wednesday 8 June, 4.30-5.30pm Pepper is a human-shaped robot. He is kindly, endearing, surprising and has the ability to understand some human emotions. He’s joining us on stage to demonstrate what emotional robots can (and can’t) do.

As the BBC’s Technology correspondent, Rory is one of the country’s leading experts on the subject. With an ever-updating encyclopaedic knowledge of cuttingedge technology and gadgets, he’ll be helping to give you a rare chance to see what’s innovative for 2016 and beyond – and how it might change our lives.

Maurizio Pesce

Guest Director: Rory Cellan-Jones

Immersive Worlds: The Future Of VR S049 Wednesday 8 June, 8.30-9.30pm There is no doubt about it, virtual reality is cool. Guest Director Rory Cellan-Jones says that the folks at British tech startup Improbable are doing the coolest stuff in virtual reality – so we brought them here for you.

These are amazing times, with robots, virtual reality and artificial intelligence about to make a real impact on our lives.

I’m thrilled to be involved with the UK’s premier science festival as it examines the implications of these technologies.

6

3D Futures: Building Beating Hearts S129 Saturday 11 June, 4-5pm 3D printers have become quite fashionable, using materials as vast as plastics, powders, metals and even molten glass.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have taken it a step further, printing organs with human cells. See it via a live link-up to their lab.

THEMES

Space

Events to look out for:

Planets On The Edge S098 Friday 10 June, 6-7pm We’ve discovered a new planet. Well, we have predicted the discovery of a new planet anyway. If Planet 9 is real, it could have serious implications for our understanding of how our solar system has evolved.

Aliens: The Truth Is Out There S121 Saturday 11 June, 2-3pm

Jack Brockway / Virgin Galactic

Before Ben Miller was a comedian, he was studying for a PhD in physics. His love for science still runs deep and in this event he joins Jim Al-Khalili to discuss our search for alien life.

Guest Director: Will Whitehorn Will Whitehorn is the former president of Virgin Galactic, the hub of one of the most exciting ventures of the modern age: commercial space travel. With the SpaceShipOne prototype, he helped pioneer the concept of space tourism – and so he brings a unique insight on space travel to the Festival.

The New Space Plane: Virgin Galactic S122 Saturday 11 June, 2-3pm

The Times Cheltenham Science Festival …around town Free hands-on science around town As well as all the amazing interactive fun to be had at the Festival, there’s plenty more to discover around town.

Look out for free pop-up performances, science busking, hands-on activities and fun for the family. Find out more at cheltenhamfestivals.com/around-town

As a former president of Virgin Galactic, Guest Director Will Whitehorn knows a thing or two about space planes. In this event he’s paired with the Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic to discuss the new version of SpaceShipTwo, the plane that will take passengers into space.

Life On The ISS: The Mission Of Major Tim Peake S147 Sunday 12 June, 12noon-1pm Tim Peake has made global headlines as he travels around the earth on the International Space Station. He lands back on earth in June, and we’ll get the inside scoop from the folks in the know at the UK Space Agency.

7

FESTIVAL GUIDE Free interactive zones Discover Zone

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre

Open daily 10am-5pm

All ages

Toilets

(late opening for adults Fri 10 June 8-10pm)

Pillar Room

See page 13 for details.

Siemens Curiosity Zone Open 11-12 June 10am-6pm

History Under The Microscope

All ages See page 10 for details.

Holst Statue

EDF Energy Zone

ExperiTent

Siemens Curiosity Zone Box Office

Activity Tents

Open 10-12 June

All ages Space Dome

Design your ideal high-tech smart bedroom.

Work with EDF engineers to build electronics circuits and then test them live.

Waterstones Book Shop

GE Pavilion Open daily 10am-6pm

All ages (late opening Wed 8 & Fri 10 June, till 8pm) See page 12 for details.

Space Dome

Stargazing

Open daily

9 (S170) and 10 (S171) June, 9.45-11pm

Ages 11+

Meet at the Holst Statue.

See page 11 for details and opening times.

S

8

dre t . An

w’s C

h u rc

h

Join the Cotswold Astronomical Society for an evening of stargazing, with a chance to observe the heavens yourself: including the crescent moon, the moons of Jupiter, Mars and the rings of Saturn.

Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA Site opens 7 June free entry

Free activities Discover Zone

Science Zone

Toilets

Events run from 10-12 June Town Hall

All ages BBC presenters and producers from your favourite shows. Full programme online at cheltenhamfestivals.com/bbc-science-zone

Toilet

Activity Trail Open daily

GE Pavilion

All ages EDF Energy Arena

BBC Science Zone

EDF Energy Zone

Collect your quiz sheet from near the Holst statue and follow the Trail around Imperial Square.

Activity Tents Open daily

The Crucible

All ages

Helix Theatre

Toilets

A selection of hands-on activities exploring the natural world. Watch insect dissections, learn how we fight diseases with the Veterinary Vaccinology Network, join the team at Raytheon for an interactive exploration of cybersecurity and find out more about animals, caring for horses and the science of sport with Hartpury University Centre.

History Under The Microscope Open 9-12 June

All ages Discover the techniques used to analyse and preserve paintings, tapestries, documents and historical artefacts in the first mobile laboratory dedicated to heritage science.

What Does Consciousness Do For Us?

RPS International Large Animal Images For Science Dissection

11 June, all day

Town Hall All ages

Town Hall Over 18s only Can unconscious stimuli control behaviour?

In what way? Take part in research by the Institute of Philosophy exploring the difference consciousness makes to the way we behave.

Open daily

Follow the trail around the Town Hall through this exhibition of amazing science images from the Royal Photographic Society.

Solve ten clues to identify the key pictures and enter a prize draw for a Nikon camera!

11 June 10am-4pm

Activity Tents, Imperial Square Veterinarian John Hutchinson and biologist Ben Garrod explore anatomy as they dissect one of the most impressive animals on earth.

9

11-12 June, 10am-6pm

Siemens Curiosity Zone All ages Free entry You’ve probably heard a lot about wind power – maybe you’ve even seen a wind farm or two? Get up close and personal with this renewable energy source that currently powers 1 in 4 UK households, with the Siemens wind challenge game. Stand in the artificially generated gust and try to guess the speed of the mini-wind generator – you can even take a photo of yourself in the airflow and take it home as a memento. It will literally blow you away!

Also, don’t forget to explore the ‘Curiosity Stations’, with activities and experiments to discover the world of energy, health and manufacturing.

The Curiosity project is a three-year engagement programme by Siemens, aimed at bringing science, technology, engineering and mathematics to life for young people in the UK, addressing the UK’s chronic shortage of engineers and inspire the next generation. Find out more at siemens.co.uk/curiosity-project Siemens was established in the UK over 170 years ago and employs about 13,760 people in the UK. Siemens find answers to the big questions of our time, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation.

10

Astrium

Space Dome Opening times 7-10 June, 10am-3pm 11-12 June, 10am-8pm Ages 11+ (including adults!)

Free entry Landing in Imperial Square 7-12 June! Enter the Space Dome and embark on a voyage to explore our universe, from shuttle take off, to life on our space station – and even see what it’s like to travel to galaxies billions of lightyears away.

Meet the researchers and engineers at the cutting edge of the UK space programme and find out what it takes to launch a rocket, navigate a solar storm and work with realtime satellite data. Travel through the Space Dome to undertake experiments on the space station, set foot on a new planet, operate a robot and fly among the stars.

Late openings Thursday 9 and Friday 10 June 6-9pm Free entry Adults are welcome in the Space Dome at all times, but our evening opening sessions are an ideal time to visit to avoid the crowds.

11

mcphersonstevens.com

Open daily 10am-6pm

GE Pavilion Late opening Wed 8 & Fri 10 June, till 8pm

All ages Free entry 5...4...3...2...1... GE Pavilion cleared for take-off: discover how airplanes fly safely, experience how robots repair pipelines deep beneath the sea, and explore how GE work to improve health in developing countries. With hands-on activities available throughout the week, you can get involved and talk to the engineers who develop exciting new technology.

See how you too can become a GE engineer of the future!

GE is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world.

12

mcphersonstevens.com

Open daily 10am-5pm

Discover Zone Cheltenham Town Hall, Main Hall All ages Free entry A huge, free interactive space to get your hands on the latest technology and find out more about the world. Uncover the mysteries of the human brain, take on the GCHQ cyber challenge, programme a robot, build a landing gear and discover if virtual reality really is the next big thing – try it for yourself with our VR obstacle course.

Safran is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of aircraft landing and braking systems. We are proud to support The Times Cheltenham Science Festival and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers as lead partner for the Discover Zone.

Friday 10 June 8-10pm

Late opening for adults Cheltenham Town Hall, Main Hall Bar open. Over 18s only.

Free Entry Don’t miss our special late opening for adults. Avoid the crowds, enjoy a drink and try all the activities for yourself – without the kids, and with the bar open.

13

TUESDAY 7 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270 2.30-3.30pm Health S011

Genetically Modified Vaccines Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee*

12.30-1.30pm Design S001

2-3pm Tech

Design For Life

The Measured Self

The Crucible £7 Res

Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee*

plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

2-3pm

S002

The Student Sex Work Project BBC Science Zone £7 plus transaction fee* Research suggests that more than a fifth of students consider sex work to fund their studies – and with increased calls for decriminalisation, the industry is receiving growing attention. Criminologists Tracey Sagar and Debbie Jones discuss their major new study, The Student Sex Work Project, which aims to promote dialogue, challenge stereotypes and raise safety awareness around students and sex work.

S003

From step counters to smartwatches, wearable technology gives us unrivalled access to our vital statistics at all times.

With each day bringing new applications in healthcare, fitness and industry, these devices look set to transform our lives.

Medical innovator Ruth McKernan speaks to NHS clinical lead Tony Young, McLaren highperformance designer Duncan Bradley and sports technologist Andy Harland, as they discuss the rise of the wearables revolution.

2.30-3.30pm Tech

S004

The Internet Of Everything The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* From Sat Nav enabled cars and foodordering fridges to app-operated home heating: the Internet Of Things is already here. Is it another fad, or just the beginning?

Innovator and startup founder Pilgrim Beart and information security expert Lorenzo Cavallaro join Daljit Rehal – who is overseeing British Gas’ leading role in connecting our homes – to discuss the challenges and dangers of connecting everything.

Since Jenner discovered cowpox could be used to prevent smallpox, vaccines have saved millions of lives and billions of pounds. New genetically modified vaccines hold exciting possibilities, with the potential to eradicate diseases, allergies and certain cancers in a cheaper and more effective way.

Infection specialist Andrew Pollard and vaccinologists Adrian Hill and Bryan Charleston discuss the importance of vaccines in animals and humans and the pros and cons of recent research.

2.30-3.30pm Space

S016

How Not To Die On Mars EDF Energy Arena £7 Res plus transaction fee* In the recent hit movie (and book of the same name) The Martian, an astronaut battles for survival alone on Mars – getting by on scientific knowledge and pure ingenuity. Could it really be done? How does NASA actually plan to keep astronauts alive?

Mars-mad astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell shows just what it would take to get to Mars, and come back alive.

4-5pm

S007

Science Question Time BBC Science Zone Free no ticket required Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.

14

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

TUESDAY 7 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com

4-5pm Space

S008

The Hidden Universe Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee* Hidden from view exists a universe of life and beauty. Cutting-edge MRI scanners and telescopes have the power to capture moments from the start of human life to the death of a faraway star. Join imaging specialist Mark Lythgoe, international street photographer Matt Stuart and astronomer Sean Ryan on a fantastic voyage of images from a single human cell through to human civilisation and out to our place in the cosmos.

4.30-5.30pm Nature

S006

4.30-5.30pm Health S012

The Human Hive Mind

Embarrassing Bodies

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £7 Res plus transaction fee*

EDF Energy Arena £7 Res plus transaction fee*

From a distance, people can look like ants – and in some ways, can behave like them too. We may think that we are free to do as we please, but for the most part, our lives are governed by simple, predictable societal rules. Social insect expert Adam Hart asks whether modern life is turning us all into the human hive and whether we can learn anything from the social lives of insects.

The BAFTA award-winning show Embarrassing Bodies has helped many overcome taboo issues, debunking myths and raising health awareness across the country. Joined by Sally Evans, a former patient whose life was changed forever by the show, Doctors Christian Jessen and Dawn Harper and scientist James Logan take you behind the scenes of this compelling series.

4.30-5.30pm Health S005 4.30-5.30pm Frontiers S010

The Times Debate: Origins Of Genius The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* From Galileo to Picasso, why do some make great leaps forward in understanding or ability? Are they uniquely gifted, or just not afraid of hard graft? Times columnist Matthew Parris joins science historian Arthur I. Miller, Emeritus Professor at UCL and Einstein, Picasso author, cognitive neuroscientist and autism expert Francesca Happé and psychiatrist Anders Ericsson – who spent thirty years studying sports stars and musical prodigies – to explore the true origins of genius.

The Disgust Instinct Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee* How does human and animal behaviour keep disease at bay? ‘Disgustologist’ Val Curtis and worm behaviour expert Rachel McMullan show how macaques wash their hands, ants immunise themselves and birds fill their nests with herbs. With live audience experiments, find out how things that make you feel sick to your stomach could actually be protecting you.

5.30-7.30pm Space

S013

Workshop

Explore The Zooniverse Siemens Curiosity Zone Free drop-in session Find out how you can help astronomers with their research through citizen science with the Zooniverse team. Help scientists understand the origins of our universe by classifying galaxies, search for planets orbiting distant stars and map the surface of mars. Drop in any time during the session.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

15

TUESDAY 7 JUNE 6-7pm Health

S015

Box Office 01242 850270

6.30-7.30pm

S009

Gene Editing: The Ocean Debate Risks And Rewards Cheltenham Ladies’ College BBC Science Zone £9 plus transaction fee*

Parabola Arts Centre £9 Res plus transaction fee*

Gene editing allows sections of DNA to be precisely removed or replaced – improving our understanding of embryo development, treating genetic conditions and ultimately saving lives. Gene therapy researcher Waseem Qasim and medical ethicist Richard Ashcroft discuss the promise of gene editing and the ethical considerations – and long term generational impacts – of using gene editing in humans and embryos.

Physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski challenges her band of ocean experts to save their research from being jettisoned to save our sinking ship. Biogeochemist Dan Jones, oceanographer Stephanie Henson, marine biologist Nick Higgs and climate scientist Erik van Sebille discuss their time at sea and why their work matters as they try to defend their favourite piece of scientific equipment from being thrown overboard.

Ministry of Defence

6.30-7.30pm Family SF01

Robert Winston’s Home Lab EDF Energy Arena £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 9+ Join Robert Winston as he brings science to life through exciting demonstrations from his new book Home Lab. Sticky slime, monster marshmallows and a lemon battery – all brilliant projects for budding scientists and crafters to bring a lab into their own homes with everyday materials and start to get to grips with science.

6-7pm Design

S020

Science By Design Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

6.30-7.30pm

S017

For Your Eyes Only: The Secret Life Of GCHQ The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee* Historian, author and Times columnist Ben Macintyre interviews a senior GCHQ official about life inside Britain’s most secretive intelligence agency. Famous for its work on the German Enigma codes at Bletchley Park, GCHQ – from its iconic Cheltenham HQ – is now at the forefront of the battle against terrorism and cybercrime: threats which are growing in number and sophistication every day.

What is life like inside ‘the doughnut’ and why is their work so important?

16

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

6.30-7.30pm Health

S018

Placebo: All In The Mind?

Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee* Sugar pills, injections of nothing, even sham surgery – studies show that, more often than you’d expect, placebos really work. Can they actually be as effective as ‘real’ treatment?

Psychologist Felicity Bishop, surgeon Andrew Carr and lead author on a report about placebo surgery Andrew George explore why placebos work and the ethics behind using them.

TUESDAY 7 JUNE

8-9pm Health

mcphersonstevens.com

cheltenhamfestivals.com S019

Antibiotic Apocalypse BBC Science Zone £9 plus transaction fee* With rising levels of antibiotic resistance, the frightening prospect of a world defenceless to infection could become reality. Bacteria expert Richard Stabler, health economist Joanna Coast and medical historian Emily Mayhew discuss the past, present and future of antibacterials – and whether we can prevent the antibiotic apocalypse.

8.30-9.30pm Nature

S021

Genetically Engineered Solutions

Alice Roberts On The Celts Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £7 Res plus transaction fee*

Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee* 8.30-9.30pm Psychology S014

The Gendered Brain The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee*

mcphersonstevens.com

The search for differences between the male and female brain has gone on for as long as we’ve been able to look, with research often tainted by cultural beliefs, political agendas and social stereotypes. Are there really any differences – or is it just sexism dressed up as science? Neuroscientists Gina Rippon and Amber Ruigrok and anthropologist Jamie Lawson debate what’s really going on inside our heads.

8.30-9.30pm History S023

The Zika outbreak has become an international emergency. While genetic modification can sometimes be portrayed in a negative light, modified mosquitoes could present a valuable solution to help control Zika and other diseases. Virologist Luke Alphey discusses the perceptions and realities of genetically modifying insects, food crops and livestock with animal biotechnology expert Bruce Whitelaw and the European Commission’s previous Chief Scientific Adviser Anne Glover.

8.30-9.30pm Frontiers S022

The Times Debate: Can Science And Faith Coexist?

EDF Energy Arena £9 Res plus transaction fee*

Unlike the Romans, the Celts did not keep written records. With this comes myth and misrepresentation, so how do we uncover the truth? Anthropologist Alice Roberts, Iron Age expert Rachel Pope and ‘Celtosceptic’ John Collis draw upon the latest linguistic, archaeological and genetic research to dig deeper into the Celtic legacy and debate the truth about the origins and lives of this ancient people.

8.30-10pm Variety

S024

Beer: Science In A Glass Town Hall, Pillar Room £15 plus transaction fee* Over 18s only

Religious faith and evidence-based science can often appear incompatible; yet at the heart of both lies a desire for a deeper understanding of the world around us. Biomedical scientist and practising Jew Robert Winston, theoretical physicist and practising Christian Tom McLeish and electronics professor and observant Muslim Mohamed El-Gomati explore their relationship with religion and how they reconcile it with their day jobs. Chaired by Times journalist Oliver Kamm.

The craft of beer making has been fermenting for over 7,000 years, but it still fascinates us: how do such simple ingredients become a huge range of colours, strengths and tastes? Annie Hill from the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and Roland Elliott-Berry from Cheltenham’s Battledown Brewery show you the art and science behind the perfect pint, with the hopportunity to try a selection of Battledown beers to tantalise your tastebuds.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

17

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270

Variety

4-5pm

FameLab International Semi-Finals

Robert Winston: Why My Experiments Always Go Wrong

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre

Failed experiments and negative findings are crucial for scientific progress, but that’s not a very comforting thought when your experiments keep going wrong. Robert Winston draws on decades of research experience and experimental disasters in this, his memoir of failure.

Free no ticket required

See the final ten, with all new talks, in the FameLab International Final (Thurs 9 June, 8.30pm, S078)

S027

Cities Of The Future Town Hall, Pillar Room £7

2.30-3.30pm Frontiers S029

Colliding Worlds Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee* In recent decades, an art movement has emerged that illuminates the latest advances in science. The Science Museum’s Roger Highfield joins science historian Arthur I. Miller, author of Colliding Worlds: How Cutting-Edge Science is Redefining Contemporary Art, artist Paul Prudence and conceptual designer Mike Phillips to explore the new avant-garde. Find out more about the artists involved, what drives them and their struggles in developing a dramatically different art form.

4.30-5.30pm Tech

plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

S028

Rare Breeds With Adam Henson EDF Energy Arena £7 Res plus transaction fee* As UK farming has become more intensive, many breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry – seen as unsuited to modern farming techniques – have become increasingly rare. Is this a change for the best? Rural television presenter and farmer Adam Henson and rare breed experts Tom Beeston and Vaughan Byrne discuss the pros and cons of some of the UK’s most endangered livestock breeds.

18

Rory Cellan-Jones

FameLab, the world’s greatest international science competition, is back! With just three minutes each to inform, enlighten and entertain, watch talented researchers and science communicators – 29 national finalists from across the world – battle it out for a coveted place in the FameLab International Final. Hosted by Quentin Cooper.

2-3pm Nature

S031

Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee*

11am-12.30pm S025 1.30-3pm S026 4-5.30pm S032

2-3pm Design

2.30-3.30pm Nature

S030

Mike Berners-Lee On Climate Change The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* Climate change is the challenge of our century. 2015 was the hottest year in recorded history and carbon emissions are increasing, but will we wake up to the threat in time? Carbon footprinting expert Mike Berners-Lee eloquently tackles your burning questions and considers the individual, corporate and global responsibility necessary for us to help improve our planet’s fate.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S033

Robots: Emotional Companions?

The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* From folding laundry to managing your diary, companion robots have been designed to react to human emotions and behaviour, learning to understand your voice, mood and day-to-day preferences.

Noel Sharkey, Will Jackson and Kerstin Dautenhahn join Guest Director Rory Cellan-Jones to discuss the likely role of these intuitive robots in our future lives, with special humanoid guests Pepper and SociBot appearing live on stage.

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com

4.30-5.30pm Tech

S034

A Visual History Of The Future Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee*

Bild Architecture

Artistic impressions of futuristic cities inform our thinking on long-term urban strategies; but also act as a snapshot of cultural attitudes towards life, work and play at the time in which they were created. Design expert Nick Dunn explores the ways that cities of the future have been portrayed in print and on film over the last century, considering what these conceptual images sought to communicate and why.

6-7pm Design

S037

Dark Star Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

4.30-5.30pm Family SF02

4.45-5.45pm Design

Chocolatology: The Spectacular Science Of Chocolate

Design Your Own Exit

EDF Energy Arena £6 Res plus transaction fee*

S035

ExperiTent £7 plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

5.15-6.15pm

The Parasite Appreciation Society Helix Theatre £8 plus transaction fee*

Ages 7+ The BBC’s Gastronaut Stefan Gates and chemist Andrea Sella present the most delicious show on earth, full of meltingly edible science of all kinds. With some crazy concoctions, sights and smells to delight your senses and quite possibly an Eiffel Tower made from chocolate, what more could you want?

6.30-7.30pm Nature S038

S036

Science Question Time BBC Science Zone Free no ticket required

Biologist and bug-botherer Adam Hart hosts a meeting of The Parasite Appreciation Society with zoologist Jules Howard, immunologist Sheena Cruickshank and medical entomologist James Logan. Be prepared to change the way you think about parasites as our panel share their love for these interesting, beautiful and useful organisms.

Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

19

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270

Workshop

Programming A Plane

GE Pavilion 5-5.30pm S043 6-6.30pm S046 7-7.30pm S112

Free no ticket required If you think that Java is just an island, Python a snake and C++ a grade then perhaps the software engineers at GE can help.

Whether you have a basic understanding in programming or don’t know where to start, try a GE workshop for a tutorial with Arduinos to control parts of a plane!

6.30-7.30pm How To...

S039

Running: How To Do It Better The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee* Whether you’re picking up your running shoes for the first time or hoping to shave a few seconds from your personal best, our experts are here to help. TV presenter and Fast Exercise creator Michael Mosley gets the inside track from former Olympian and world renowned sports scientist Greg Whyte and sports nutritionist and Ironman triathlete Asker Jeukendrup, as they offer their advice on how to get the best out of your run.

Join our all-abilities club run after the event – visit cheltenhamfestivals.com for details.

6.30-7.30pm Design S040

Light For Life Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £9 Res plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

20

Workshop

Make A Robot From Almost Anything Siemens Curiosity Zone 6.30-7.30pm S041 8-9pm S047

£12 plus transaction fee* Join Ross Atkin to invent your own USB powered robot using sustainable Fizzbit technology, household materials and rubbish. Learn about the design process, find out more about energy storage, brush up on your crafting skills and explore your relationship with the impending robot takeover.

6.30-7.30pm Health

S042

7-9pm

S044

The Gene: An Intimate History

Workshop

EDF Energy Arena £9 Res plus transaction fee*

ExperiTent £12 plus transaction fee*

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and doctor Siddhartha Mukherjee tells the story of the quest to decipher the master-code which makes and defines us all. The gene reorganises our understanding of sexuality, temperament, choice and free will – as we learn to read and write the human genome, genetics becomes ever more relevant to our everyday lives.

Why do some substances smell nice and others not so much? How do the smells we can detect relate to molecular structure? Sniff out the secret science of scents and find out what makes some molecules smelly with chemist Natalie Fey. Get hands-on, explore the properties of aromatic oils and blend your own perfumes.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Perfume

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE Maurizio Pesce

cheltenhamfestivals.com 7.15-8.15pm Psychology S045

The Myth Of Masculinity BBC Science Zone £9 plus transaction fee*

Antonio Olmos

What does ‘being a man’ mean in the 21st century? The stereotypical strong, silent and stoic image may be harming modern men – suicide is the biggest killer of males under 45 and rates are three times higher than in women. Psychologist Peter Hegarty, writer Rebecca Asher and journalist and author Jack Urwin look at the myth of masculinity, the effect it has and what we can do about it.

8.30-9.30pm Tech

S049

8.30-9.30pm Health

S052

Immersive Worlds: The Future Of VR

Your Mental Health: Nature Or Nurture?

EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee*

Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee*

Immersive worlds made possible by virtual reality are creating new applications in gaming, defence and healthcare, allowing users to experience anything, anywhere, at any time. Improbable co-founders Herman Narula and Rob Whitehead, former Sony London Studio Director Dave Ranyard and CEO of nDreams Patrick O’Luanaigh join Guest Director Rory Cellan-Jones as they demonstrate cutting-edge technology and discuss the likely impact of VR on our future lives.

One in four adults has been diagnosed with a mental illness, and scientists have long known that these potentially devastating conditions arise from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Psychiatrist Paul Harrison and neuroscientist Liz Tunbridge are joined by former psychiatrist and author Linda Gask as they discuss why genes and the environment impact on our brains and how new research is informing future treatment.

8-9pm Frontiers

S048

Capitalism On The Brink Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* Capitalism has undergone transformations through the industrial revolution, the age of empire and the 20th century. Today’s information technology has the potential to reshape it entirely and to destroy market-based, private ownership economies. Channel 4 economics editor Paul Mason questions whether capitalism is on the brink of a profound social change.

8.30-9.30pm Sports

S050

8.30-9.30pm Variety

Olympians: The Science Of Champions

Robin Ince And The Brains Of Comedians

The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee*

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £9 Res plus transaction fee*

We often expect athletes to be superhuman, but what helps to set them apart? Science and technology are driving sporting performance: improving equipment, sports technology and pushing ever further the limits of human physiology. Broadcaster John Inverdale speaks with Olympians Rob Hayles and Greg Whyte and physiologist Steve Ingham as they discuss how science gives athletes the edge when competing on the world stage.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S053

Robin Ince has been a stand-up comedian for over 25 years: but a few years ago it nearly drove him mad. How could his dream job drive him crazy? In this stand-up show, Robin wonders about the brains of comedians and what makes them what they are: are they anything special, or just the same as the rest of us?

21

THURSDAY 9 JUNE

1-2pm Health

S054

Can We Afford Our Medicine?

2-3pm Health

Box Office 01242 850270

S075

Emerging Diseases: From Ebola To Zika

Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee* The NHS spends £15 billion on medicines – and the bill goes up every year. No matter how effective a drug, it must be affordable and imaginative new approaches are needed.

The British Pharmacological Society’s David Webb, clinical pharmacologist Ken Paterson and clinical trial expert Frances MacDonald ask you for a second opinion and discuss what needs to change to ensure innovations like personalised medicines can be an affordable reality.

3-4pm Nature

What’s The Point Of Wasps?

Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee*

The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee* Zika is the latest in a long line of diseases that seemingly pop up from nowhere.

As faster transport makes the world ever smaller, what can scientists learn from this and previous outbreaks? Ebola co-discoverer Peter Piot, epidemiologist Laura Rodrigues and tropical medicine expert Trudie Lang look at the continuing global effort to understand and respond to new and emerging epidemics.

With their waspish ways and painful stings, wasps can certainly be annoying – but they’re also incredibly useful, interesting and varied, with over 75,000 recognised species. Vivienne Parry talks to bug-botherer Adam Hart, wasp expert Seirian Sumner and zoologist Jules Howard, as they discuss what they love most about these fascinating and diverse insects, and get to the point of wasps.

3.45-4.45pm 2-3pm Health

EDF Energy Arena £7 Res plus transaction fee* With one in four adults in the UK either overweight or obese, fat is a big issue – and conflicting dietary advice can make it difficult to make the right choices for our health. Former government obesity advisor Susan Jebb, genetic epidemiologist Tim Spector and toxicologist Juliette Legler join presenter and 5:2 diet inventor Michael Mosley as they attempt to cut the fat from the facts.

22

S059

Science Question Time

S055

The Truth About Fat

S057

3-4pm Health

S058

Living With Mental Illness Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £7 Res plus transaction fee* Despite one in four people experiencing mental health problems each year, stigma still surrounds those that suffer from anxiety, depression and other disorders. Suicide prevention campaigner Jonny Benjamin joins fellow campaigner Neil Laybourn, the good samaritan who talked him down from Waterloo Bridge, to discuss living with mental illness, services available for mental health and the importance of tackling these issues in children and young people.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

BBC Science Zone Free no ticket required Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.

THURSDAY 9 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com 4-5pm Variety

S060

A Is For Arsenic The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* Agatha Christie worked in hospital dispensaries during both world wars – and so it is no coincidence that more of her characters die from poison than any other method, with the characteristics of each poison providing vital clues. Christie fan and chemist Kathryn Harkup takes a darkly comedic look at the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these deadly substances today, and at the time Christie wrote about them.

5-6pm Variety

S064

Wellcome Images

Chimp On Trial 4.30-5.30pm Psychology S062

Bringing Up Boys Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee* What pressures do boys and young men face, and how does this affect them? How can we raise boys to enter the modern world as happy and healthy men? Clinical psychologist Elizabeth Kilbey, journalist and author Jack Urwin and Let Toys Be Toys representative Jess Day discuss masculinity, sexism and bringing up boys.

Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee* You are a juror and Jack is on trial for murder. The twist? Jack is a chimpanzee.

With Simon Watt as judge, your lawyers for the evening are scientists Kate Cross and Lewis Dean. Join them as they interrogate expert witnesses Benedict Douglas, Katie Slocombe and Amanda Seed to determine if our closest relatives in the animal kingdom have human rights and do human wrongs.

4-5pm

S061

Marcus du Sautoy: What We Cannot Know EDF Energy Arena £7 Res plus transaction fee* Every week we make new breakthroughs that improve our understanding of human existence. Surely there is nothing that we can’t discover! Britain’s foremost mathematician Marcus du Sautoy asks you to rein in that unbridled enthusiasm for the power of science, as he takes you to the edge of knowledge to discover if there is anything we truly cannot know.

5-6pm History

S063

Shakespeare And 5.45-6.45pm Frontiers The New Astronomy Protecting The Planet: Science Cheltenham Ladies’ College And Politics Parabola Arts Centre £7 Res plus transaction fee*

From Copernicus to Galileo, Shakespeare was producing his greatest work just as new ideas about the universe were transforming Western thought. Astronomer Michael Rowan-Robinson and Shakespeare expert John Pitcher discuss the impact of the scientific revolution on Shakespeare’s writing, demonstrating with live extracts the influence of astronomy on the Bard’s plays and poetry, and asking how they may help inform our understanding of this crucial point in astronomical history.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S065

BBC Science Zone £7 plus transaction fee* Environmental issues such as genetically modified crops and climate change are mired in controversy and emotion. How does scientific consensus relate to these controversies? Where does science end and politics begin? Journalist and environmental activist Mark Lynas and cognitive scientist Stephan Lewandowsky tackle these issues and more in a lively discussion exploring how science interacts with personal worldviews and political decisions.

23

Alastair Duncan

THURSDAY 9 JUNE 6-7pm Health

Box Office 01242 850270 S068

Is Beauty Skin Deep?

The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee*

6-7pm Health

S067

Diabetes With Michael Mosley

Is beauty simply in the eye of the beholder, or do our other senses have a role to play? How does our skin and hair age? Join chemist and cosmetics expert Steven Shiel for a demo-filled look at the science behind beauty and explore some of the myths surrounding what controls the way we look and what we can and can’t do about it.

6.30-7.30pm Nature

S069

From Genes To Beans Helix Theatre £7 plus transaction fee* From food on our plates to greens in our garden, many plants share one extraordinary characteristic – they contain multiple copies of their entire genetic code in each cell, giving rise to weird and wonderful results.

Kew Gardens’ Katherine Willis, winner of the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Prize, talks about how this ‘polyploidy’ could help us take on our greatest global challenges.

EDF Energy Arena £9 Res plus transaction fee*

Hugh Turvey

Diabetes affects more than four million people in the UK – and with type-2 predominantly associated with weight gain and inactivity, making the right lifestyle choices can be the difference between developing and preventing the disease. Vivienne Parry discusses the latest research and advice with diabetes expert Thomas Yates and broadcaster Michael Mosley, who has recently helped to formulate a blood-sugar stabilising diet designed to reduce your likelihood of developing the condition.

Workshop

7-8.30pm Variety

UV Photography

Level Up Human

Siemens Curiosity Zone

Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee*

6-6.30pm S066 6.45-7.15pm S070 7.30-8pm S072 8.15-8.45pm S076

Free no ticket required See the world in a new light with experimentalist and photographer Hugh Turvey. Simulate X-ray photography using UV light, exploring exposure, protection and density as you produce your own UV generated image. You are welcome to bring along your own objects to capture.

24

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S071

Ever wondered if your life would be better with tentacles? No. But it might be!

Evolution has become lazy and could use a helping hand. Simon Watt, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod, chemist Kathryn Harkup and comedian Robert Llewellyn ask what it means to be human – and, with a bit of gene splicing and ambition, what the more interesting alternatives could be.

This event is being recorded for a podcast, see cheltenhamfestivals.com for more information. The bar will be open during this event.

THURSDAY 9 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com

7.30-9pm Frontiers

S073

Messiaen’s Maths With Marcus du Sautoy Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £14 Res plus transaction fee* Composed and premiered at the Nazi war camp where the composer was imprisoned, Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time is one of the most ethereally beautiful works of the 20th century – and also one of the most mathematically complex. With live excerpts from a quartet of piano, clarinet, violin and cello, mathematician Marcus du Sautoy visualises the numerical intricacies and ideas that inspired the music.

7.45-8.45pm Frontiers S074

What Is ‘Natural’?

BBC Science Zone £9 plus transaction fee* What does it mean to be ‘natural’?

Whether certain foods, treatments or processes such as cloning or genetic modification are seen as natural or unnatural can affect the development and uptake of new technologies. Join poet Kayo Chingonyi, plant biologist Ottoline Leyser and documentary filmmaker Adam Wishart for poetry and debate as science, philosophy and language come together to shed light on the concept of naturalness.

8-9pm

S056

Behind The Lens: Observational Documentaries The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee* Documentaries like 24 Hours in A&E and The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds have revolutionised factual television, the absence of a visible production crew providing unrivalled access into the psychology and behaviour of those being observed. Producer Tom McDonald, psychologist Elizabeth Kilbey and A&E department manager Briony Sloper discuss what makes this format so compelling, and how it feels to work under the camera’s gaze.

8.30-10.30pm Variety S078

FameLab International Final EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee* Watch our global Finalists take centre stage to win your hearts and minds in their quest to be crowned FameLab International Champion 2016. Nobel Laureate James Watson called it the most fun he’d had in years, and now you too can see our FameLab Finalists use all their charm, charisma and knowledge to deliver three minutes of science in style. Hosted by Quentin Cooper.

8.30-9.30pm How To... S077

9.30-10.45pm Variety S079

How To Raise An Adult

Science Of Sparkling Wine

Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee*

Town Hall, Pillar Room £15 plus transaction fee*

Helicopter parents hover overhead, overseeing every aspect of their child’s life.

Author, parent and former Student Dean at Stanford University Julie Lythcott-Haims sets out to expose the harms of this kind of over-parenting: proposing practical alternatives to allow children to make their own mistakes and develop the resilience, resourcefulness and inner determination they need for self-sufficient young adulthood.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Includes a glass of Three Choirs sparkling wine. Over 18s only.

How do you go from grapes on the vine to sparkling wine in a glass? Wine not find out in this sure-to-be-grape event with expert Geoff Taylor and Three Choirs winemaker Martin Fowke. They demonstrate the process and explain the science behind each step, showing how every stage affects the finished product, with samples to try at each stage of the sparkling wine production process.

25

Designing the future How science and design transform the way we live

cheltdesign.co.uk @CheltDesignFest

CHELTENHAM DESIGN FOUNDATION TUESDAY 7 JUNE

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 2-3pm

S027

Cities of the Future Town Hall, Pillar Room £7 plus transaction fee*

12.30-1.30pm

S001

Design for Life The Crucible £7 Res plus transaction fee*

The notion of the ‘ideal city’ evolves with changing technologies. Populations adapt and imaginations run wild. Architect Bob Allies, urban planner and human behaviour expert Anna Rose, urban designer Nick Dunn and Arup’s Malcolm Smith look to the future of the modern metropolis. They consider the role of creativity, science and technology in making cities safer, smarter and more sustainable in the coming decades.

Designer Rama Gheerawo’s group at The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, aims to improve the lives of people of all ages and abilities – using good design to give more independence in their lives. Discover how, through practical ideas for transport and technology, design has the potential to transform lives.

4.45-5.45pm 6-7pm

S020

Science by Design Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* Designers often draw upon the latest scientific advances to improve the quality of life, adapting our everyday environments as technology becomes increasingly sophisticated. Acclaimed design critic Alice Rawsthorn explores how the relationship between design and science has evolved over time, where it stands now and what to expect in the future.

S035

Design your own Exit ExperiTent £7 plus transaction fee* The coffin or a casket is the centrepiece of most funerals in the Western world.

They can be environmentally unfriendly and their appearance rarely relates to the person within. Can design reduce a coffin’s environmental impact and improve the mourners’ spiritual experience? Join inventor Richard Gray as he explores creative opportunities to bury our dead.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Box Office 01242 850270

WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 6-7pm

S037

Dark Star Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* Culture vulture Jonny Trunk, bionic multimedia artist Viktoria Modesta and the extraordinary model maker Peter Pullon look at the irrevocable way that science has invaded our culture. From Bowie’s Dark Star and the 70s Smash Martians TV ad, to the latest superhero movies and Philippe Starck’s Martian tripod-like citrus squeezer, they explore the images of aliens, outer space and the notion of the ‘other’ that surround us and that have inspired their own creations.

6.30-7.30pm

S040

Light for Life Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £9 Res plus transaction fee* Light has a dramatic effect on our behaviour and the ways in which we interact with the world around us.

Neuroscientist Russell Foster, interior designer Oliver Heath and glass entrepreneur Charlie Sharman discuss how understanding the way we interact with and respond to light helps designers and engineers to create better cities and living spaces.

cheltenhamfestivals.com

FRIDAY 10 JUNE 12.30-1.30pm

CHELTENHAM DESIGN FOUNDATION FRIDAY 10 JUNE

S081

Frontiers of Fashion

2.30-3.30pm

SATURDAY 11 JUNE S085

Intelligent Mobility

The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* Join Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of Holition, as he explores the role of science and technology in revolutionising the future of fashion. From 3D holographic fashion shows to window displays that allow passersby to ‘try on’ prospective purchases, Holition uses cutting-edge technology to blur boundaries between fashion and science, stimulate debate about individual and global issues and encourage consumers to interact with the clothes and accessories they wear in surprising new ways.

The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* Developments in transport and technology are changing the way we get from A to B, making travel smarter and more connected. Join design critic Stephen Bayley, driverless vehicle expert Natasha Merat and global design consultant Paul Priestman as they consider how design informs movement through cities and influences the way we interact with our surroundings.

SATURDAY 11 JUNE 12noon-1pm

S118

The Digitized City The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee*

8.30-9.30pm

S108

The Tempest Art And Technology In The 21st Century EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee* Together with Intel, the Royal Shakespeare Company is creating a bold reimagining of The Tempest: a world of amazement and enchantment conjured up by cutting-edge technology.

The RSC’s Director of Design Stephen Brimson Lewis and Head of Digital Development Sarah Ellis join Intel’s Director of Client Research Tawny Schlieski to reveal the digital alchemy behind this ground-breaking production, transforming Shakespeare’s play for a modern audience.

In collaboration with INTEL and in association with THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS

The Observer’s architecture critic Rowan Moore discusses with Charles Landry, urban change guru, how we can redesign our urban environment in a digitized era. We are in the middle of redesigning our world and its systems for an interdependent digital age – how will it change the way we interact with space, place and time? Is that what we want?

Do we have a choice?

6.30-7.30pm

S137

The Invention Lab ExperiTent £7 plus transaction fee* Ages 14-16 Homes in Britain throw away millions of tonnes of food and drink a year. In this creative workshop with the Science Museum’s first Inventor in Residence Mark Champkins, use your ingenuity to help solve the problem. He’ll guide you through the design process, from idea generation to development, using some of his own inventions as examples, as seen on Dragons’ Den.

8.15-9.45pm

S141

Ten Billion

Film Screening Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £15 Res plus transaction fee* Includes a complimentary drink following the event. Over 18s only.

Ten Billion is a documentary film written and presented by one of the world’s foremost scientists, Professor Stephen Emmott. Based on the sensational one-man show which Stephen took to the stage of the Royal Court Theatre, it is a wake-up call to an unprecedented planetary emergency. Introduced by the film’s director Peter Webber, who will be joined by Stephen and film producer Mark Bentley, this unique screening will change your view of the planet and your role in it forever.

SUNDAY 12 JUNE 5-6pm

S159

How to Have Great Ideas!

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre Dance Studio £7 plus transaction fee* Ages 14-16 Use creative thinking in design, advertising and communications in this interactive session with author and lecturer John Ingledew. Take part in practical exercises and see examples of John’s students’ work from across the globe as you learn new creative strategies and discover how to make the conditions needed to unlock and enjoy new ideas.

The Cheltenham Design Foundation is a charity that promotes how design and creativity make our lives better. In 2009 a group of design professionals met with two aims, to establish Gloucestershire as a creative hub and to enable schoolchildren to explore their own creativity.

Since then the foundation has organised three International Festivals and has run an annual Design Academy for 14-16 year olds from local schools in Gloucestershire. The academy introduces them to the world of design, ranging from graphics to engineering, film-making, architecture, landscape architecture and photography. These have met with widespread acclaim.

This year’s collaborative programme with The Times Cheltenham Science Festival marks an exciting step forward for the Cheltenham Design Foundation and underlines the connections between design and science.

Design Academy Partners:

HOW TO BOOK TICKETS cheltenhamfestivals.com

+44 (0)1242 850270

Most events take place on the main site of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival which is located on Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. Other venues are within walking distance.

For further details on booking and visitor information, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/booking

Cheltenham Design Foundation supported by:

FRIDAY 10 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270 2.30-3.30pm Space

S084

The Sun: Inside And Out EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee*

NASA SDO

As our closest star, the Sun is intertwined with our lives and has been worshipped and feared for generations. But how much do you really know about our most important energy source? TV presenter and solar physicist Lucie Green and astrophysicist Bill Chaplin take you to this majestic giant, exploring it both inside and out: from sunquakes and its atmosphere, to the sonic mysteries of its fiery depths.

11.30am-12.30pm

S080

Brexit And British Science

Frontiers Of Fashion

Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee*

The Crucible £8 Res

On Thursday 23 June, we will vote on whether Britain should remain in the European Union.

How would leaving the EU affect our science, research and education? Times journalist Giles Whittell leads a lively debate between the University of Exeter’s Vice Chancellor Steve Smith, Scientists for Britain’s Angus Dalgleish, Scientists for EU’s Mike Galsworthy and Campaign for Science and Engineering’s Sarah Main.

1.30-2.30pm Health

S082

The Life Project Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee* What makes some people happy, healthy and successful – and others less so? In 1946, UK scientists began tracking thousands of British children born in a single week to find out.

Writer Helen Pearson and researcher Diana Kuh discuss why this study is the envy of the world and how the results affect our lives today. Joining them is Cheltonian Patricia Malvern, a 70-year participant of the project.

26

12.30-1.30pm Design

S081

Intelligent Mobility The Crucible £8 Res

plus transaction fee*

plus transaction fee*

See centre pages for more information.

2-3pm Variety

2.30-3.30pm Design S085

See centre pages for more information.

S088

David Baddiel: Quantum Mechanics On Stage Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee* Richard Feynman has been quoted saying ‘if you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics’. If Feynman thought it a tough subject, imagine trying to translate it for the stage! Comedian and novelist David Baddiel and physicist Jim Al-Khalili discuss the trials and tribulations of integrating the strange theoretical world into David’s new paradoxical play.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Workshop

Butterfly Taxidermy

Sinners Enclosure, Hotel du Vin GL50 3AQ 3.30-5.30pm S087 6.30-8.30pm S103

£30 plus transaction fee* Includes a cocktail on arrival. Over 18s only.

For over 300 years, the beauty of butterflies and other insects has been admired, with collectors and entomologists alike mounting them for scientific reference and for stunning visual displays. Join the recent renaissance of insect taxidermy with Suzette Field: learn the techniques used in setting butterflies, find out the fascinating ways of displaying them, and come away with your own set.

FRIDAY 10 JUNE BBC

cheltenhamfestivals.com 4-5pm Tech

S083

Artificial Intelligence: Fact Vs. Fiction Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee* The complex board game Go is considered more challenging than chess and the last game where humans are dominant over computers. However, DeepMind – Google’s artificial intelligence unit – has bested a world champion 4-1. As A.I. rapidly becomes more and more sophisticated, are we prepared for its true potential? Journalist Luke Dormehl examines the future of the field with experts Margaret Boden, Murray Shanahan and George Zarkadakis.

3.30-4.30pm Space

S086

Britain’s Place In Space Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee* The UK space industry employs nearly 35,000 people, contributing over £10 billlion to the economy. What does the future hold? Guest Director and previous Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn talks to microsatellite manufacturer Craig Clark, space law specialist Jill Stuart and the UK Space Agency’s Louise Hughes about what comes next: from plans to build a UK spaceport, to starting a base on the moon.

4.15-5.15pm

S089

Science Question Time Siemens Curiosity Zone Free no ticket required Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.

4.30-5.30pm Tech

S091

What’s Inside An Electric Car? The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* Electric cars are sparking increased public interest; with enhanced power, speed and improved range, the potential for plug-in vehicles is gathering momentum. Join actor and electric car enthusiast Robert Llewellyn and engineer and power electronics expert Mark Johnson for this interactive event, as they go under the bonnet and explore what it is that makes an electric engine tick.

Workshop

Programming A Plane

GE Pavilion

4.30-5.30pm Tech

S092

Future Tech: The Best And Worst Of All Time Helix Theatre £8 plus transaction fee* From the revolution of the home computer to snooker-playing robots, the British public has played witness to a weird and wonderful array of gadgets, all predicted to transform our lives. BBC Technology Correspondent and Guest Director Rory Cellan-Jones, former Tomorrow’s World presenters Maggie Philbin and Vivienne Parry and presenter Georgie Barrat look back on the best and worst supposed tech of tomorrow, showcasing their own favourite gadgets of the future.

4.30-5.30pm Health

S093

Life Begins At 100

5-5.30pm S090 6-6.30pm S096 7-7.30pm S104

EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee*

Free no ticket required

Our population is getting older: within two decades, one in four of us will be over 65. The increase in life expectancy is one of society’s greatest achievements – but also one of its most significant challenges.

Social gerontologist Debora Price, ageing expert Jaco Hoffman and Chair of Age UK’s Research Advisory Council Tim Skerry discuss the personal, social and global impacts that come with us all living a little longer.

If you think that Java is just an island, Python a snake and C++ a grade then perhaps the software engineers at GE can help.

Whether you have a basic understanding in programming or don’t know where to start, try a GE workshop for a tutorial with Arduinos to control parts of a plane!

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

27

FRIDAY 10 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270 6-7pm Space

S098

6.30-7.30pm

Planets On The Edge

Life After The Apocalypse

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* In a world full of commodities, we are used to getting what we want almost immediately.

But where do our creature comforts come from, and how would we fare if they were taken away overnight? Lofty Wiseman, SAS Survival Handbook author, Thomas Thwaites – who made a toaster from scratch – and actor Robert Llewellyn (Scrapheap Challenge) discuss how society would cope with rebuilding our lives from square one.

mcphersonstevens.com

From crashing probes into Saturn, new missions to Jupiter, compelling evidence of a previously unknown ninth planet and the ongoing New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond, this is an incredibly exciting time for studying our outer solar system. Find out how we make these amazing discoveries with gas giant researcher Michele Dougherty, planetary geologist John Spencer and astrophysicist Alan Fitzsimmons.

S100

Workshop

MindFoldNess ExperiTent 4.30-5.30pm S094 6-7pm S097 7.30-8.30pm S105

£10 plus transaction fee* Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. Join Samuel Tsang to find out how to use this elegant discipline to focus and meditate on the present moment, learning to fold basic fun models and more complex ones too. No previous experience necessary.

Workshop

Cuddly Circuits 5.30-7pm Variety

S095

Biology Or Balderdash?

Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee* Four evolutionary scientists – zoologist Jules Howard, primatologist Adriana Lowe, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod and palaeobiologist Anjali Goswami – pitch their miraculous stories of evolution and natural selection to a live audience. But which are real and which are complete nonsense? You decide who sounds the most plausible – and then have a go yourself.

The bar will be open during this event.

Siemens Curiosity Zone 6.15-7.15pm S099 7.45-8.45pm S106

£12 plus transaction fee* Create your own light-up critter with mathematician Katie Steckles. Find out how circuits work and refresh your sewing skills in this hands-on workshop as you put together a small felt toy suitable for a keyring or bag charm. Some hand-sewing skills are required, but Katie and her helpers will be on hand to guide you.

Saturday 11 June

Free performances and discussion event Yan Wong and choreographer Joëlle Pappas have created a contemporary dance exploration of the evolutionary tree of life. See cheltenhamfestivals.com

28

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

6.30-7.30pm

S101

Richard Dawkins And Yan Wong: The Ancestor’s Tale EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee* With his unparalleled wit and clarity, the renowned author of The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins presents the newly updated edition of the 2005 bestseller The Ancestor’s Tale. With his co-author, the evolutionary biologist and Bang Goes the Theory presenter Yan Wong, they take an exhilarating reverse tour through evolution: a pilgrimage from present-day humans back to the beginnings of life, updated with the latest discoveries of this remarkable story.

FRIDAY 10 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com 6.30-7.30pm Health

8.30-9.30pm Physics

S102

Decoding The Immune System Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee* Ever wondered why you caught a cold and the rest of your family didn’t? Explore the genetics of the immune system – which makes you different from everyone else.

From the evolution of the immune system to the biology of organ transplantation, immunity evolution expert Jim Kaufman, innate immunity specialist Salim Khakoo and The Compatibility Gene author Dan Davis uncover the coding of the immune system and its impact on your health.

S109

Gravitational Waves: What’s The Attraction?

The Crucible £9 Res plus transaction fee*

8.30-9.30pm Design S108

The Tempest Art And Technology In The 21st Century

Almost 100 years after they were first predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, we finally detected gravitational waves, caused by two colliding black holes.

What exactly are gravitational waves? How did we finally detect them and how will they change the science of the future? Jim Al-Khalili interviews Sheila Rowan, the UK lead on the international project searching for these elusive waves.

Wellcome Collection Library

EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee* Together with Intel, the Royal Shakespeare Company is creating a bold reimagining of The Tempest: a world of amazement and enchantment conjured up by cutting-edge technology.

The RSC’s Director of Design Stephen Brimson Lewis and Head of Digital Development Sarah Ellis join Intel’s Director of Client Research Tawny Schlieski to reveal the digital alchemy behind this ground-breaking production, transforming Shakespeare’s play for a modern audience.

8-9pm History

S107

The Art Of Anatomy Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £9 Res plus transaction fee* Anatomical illustration is crucial to our understanding of the human body, providing us with a visual record of advancements in the technology and techniques of surgical practice throughout history. Alice Roberts delves into the fascinating world of the anatomist’s textbook with medical historian Richard Barnett and surgeon Roger Kneebone, as they compare some of the best, worst and goriest examples of surgical imagery from past and present.

In collaboration with INTEL and in association with THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS

8.30-10pm Variety

S111

(G)astronomy Town Hall, Pillar Room £15 plus transaction fee* Includes a cocktail and tasters. Over 18s only What does dark matter taste like? How can ice cream help you understand the universe?

Astrophysicist Roberto Trotta joins forces with molecular gastronomy chef Jozef Youssef and his Kitchen Theory team for an interactive culinary experience set to translate complex astrophysics into an edible and educational experience for everybody.

From cosmic cocktails to multiverse profiteroles, cosmology has never tasted so good!

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

8.30-9.30pm Tech

S110

The Future Of The Car Helix Theatre £8 plus transaction fee* Has the petrol car taken a wrong turn?

Are we really ready to let go of the wheel? There are significant changes coming to the automobile as we know it – but what’s the next big thing set to change our lives? Driverless car expert Natasha Merat and actor and electric car enthusiast Robert Llewellyn get revved up as they attempt to determine the future of the car.

29

SATURDAY 11 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270 12noon-1pm Design

S118

The Digitized City The Crucible £8 Res

Don’t miss today’s events for all the family: see page 34 for Saturday’s family programme.

10-11am

S114

Brain Control Live Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* Scientists have just devised a new magnetic device that can switch the brain on and off, with tiny nanomagnets inserted into cells to control brain activity. See this live attraction experiment as imaging specialist Mark Lythgoe and his team activate living cells using only the power of magnets.

10-11am

S115

Behind The Scenes Of Call The Midwife EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee* Medical dramas tread a fine line between accuracy and storytelling. How does the long-running, popular drama Call The Midwife manage the balance? Actor Stephen McGann, midwifery advisor Terri Coates and science journalist Ginny Smith reveal life behind the scenes. Find out how medical procedures are adapted for TV, the training involved, what it’s like to tackle challenging topics such as thalidomide, and the impact of the show on its viewers.

30

plus transaction fee* See centre pages for more information.

11am-4pm

S116

Outbreak!

Street Game Outdoors Sign up at the Activity Tents in Imperial Square Free no ticket required Groups start every 20 mins, sessions last 1 hour. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. More details at cheltenhamfestivals.com Imagine you’re a government scientist and the country is depending on you to identify and control a deadly new disease.

In this high-pressure interactive street game, you’ll work in teams to investigate the spread of a mysterious outbreak in Cheltenham, then devise an action plan to save the nation before time runs out...

The development of Outbreak! is supported by The University of Manchester and Wellcome Trust

12noon-1pm Physics

S117

Fundamental Physics: Is It Worth It? Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee* Fundamental physics research can spend billions of pounds to create machines that probe the very fabric of reality, but is this money well spent? Physicist and presenter Jim Al-Khalili asks fellow physicists Akram Khan, Simon Jolly and Sheila Rowan why basic research – with no clear or immediate practical purpose – is a good use of our money.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Workshop

A Puzzling Tea Party Bistro, Hotel du Vin, GL50 3AQ 1.30-3pm S119 3.30-5pm S120

£30 plus transaction fee* Includes afternoon tea from Hotel du Vin. Forget the Mad Hatter – this is a tea party of an even more puzzling kind.

Enjoy a splendid afternoon tea and give your brain a workout with marvellous mathematician Katie Steckles: her selection of tea party-themed puzzles will put your mind to the test, from how to cut a cake to keeping your tea hot.

2-3pm Space

S121

Aliens: The Truth Is Out There The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* For millennia, humans have looked to the stars in wonder – are we alone in the universe? From studying extreme life on earth to searching for planets and listening for alien signals, science seems to be bringing us ever closer to answering this question. Author and presenter Ben Miller, physicist Jim Al-Khalili and astrobiologist Louisa Preston discuss just how close we are to our first close encounter.

SATURDAY 11 JUNE

Jack Brockway / Virgin Galactic

cheltenhamfestivals.com

2-3pm Space

4-5pm

S122

The New Space Plane: Virgin Galactic Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee* We’ve been promised the opportunity of space tourism for the last half century, and finally that vision is nearing reality.

Virgin Galactic’s chief commercial officer Stephen Attenborough joins Guest Director and previous president of the pioneering company Will Whitehorn to unveil the latest designs for the new space plane VSS Unity and discuss Virgin’s vision for the future of commercial space flight.

Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* Evolution has made something which is far from perfect – our bodies are a mix of new and old, with strokes of genius alongside glitches and imperfections inherited from distant ancestors. Alice Roberts embarks on a journey exploring development from a single egg into a complex body, revealing how our embryos contain echoes of our evolutionary past.

Workshop

Capturing The Sun ExperiTent

Robin Hamilton

3-4pm S124 4.30-5.30pm S125

2-3pm Nature

£8 plus transaction fee*

4-5pm Space

Build your own sun-capturing camera in this hands-on workshop. Scienceinspired artist Nick Sayers guides you through making a pinhole camera from scratch, ready to attach to a tree or drainpipe to catch the sun from summer through to winter.

Jon Culshaw: The Comedian And The Cosmos

S123

All Felines Great And Small EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee* From meowing and grooming to hunting and hiding in boxes, just how much do lions and tigers have in common with your family moggy? Join science and wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin, tiger specialist Debbie Banks and domestic cat expert John Bradshaw as they discuss all felines great and small, shedding light on the many intriguing habits and behaviours that big cats share with their tamed counterparts.

S128

Alice Roberts And The Incredible Unlikeliness Of Being

2-3pm Health

S126

The Fertility Time Bomb?

Helix Theatre £9 plus transaction fee* Our population is getting older, and so are first-time mothers: more women over 35 now give birth than those under 25, the age once considered prime for childbirth. Is the ‘fertility time bomb’ really something to be afraid of? Fertility experts Allan Pacey and Gillian Lockwood consider the implications for both men and women, exploring the ins and outs of conceiving as we get older.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S168

EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee* Best known for memorable performances on the hugely popular Dead Ringers and The Impressions Show, comedian, impressionist and actor Jon Culshaw is also an astronomy enthusiast and commentator. Often seen on BBC’s The Sky at Night and with his own column in their magazine, he likes to seek out astronomical answers to questions that have got the nation talking. Join Jon as he talks us through his love of the lunar!

31

SATURDAY 11 JUNE 4-5pm Physics

Box Office 01242 850270 S130

The Future Of Nuclear Physics Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee*

4-5.30pm

S169

Workshop

Programming With PiBot

Jim Al-Khalili joins fellow nuclear physicists Elizabeth Cunningham and Zsolt Podolyak to discuss the next big thing in their field: the FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) project in Germany. Involving 3,000 scientists and costing over $2 billion this huge accelerator aims to complete our understanding of the early universe.

Geneva’s LHC is up and running – now we wait for FAIR.

6-7pm Space

S132

Life On Other Worlds Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee* The search for life in the universe is one of humanity’s greatest adventures. What are the chances of finding life on Mars, or on the moons Europa or Titan; what might it look like; and what could it tell us about ourselves? Astrobiologist Louisa Preston looks for other forms of life – and to the future of our exploration, and ultimately colonisation, of the cosmos.

Flip/Nicklin/Minden Pictures

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre Dance Studio £8 plus transaction fee* No matter how smart robots are, they still need someone to tell them what to do.

Join Harry Gee from PiBot for a handson workshop where you build a robot from scratch, before using the basics of programming to control a Tiddlybot. No previous experience required.

4-5pm Tech

S129

3D Futures: Building Beating Hearts The Crucible £10 Res plus transaction fee* What if organs could be made to order, enabling transplantation at the touch of a button? New 3D printing processes have the potential to produce entire human organs from living cells. Tissue engineers Felicity Rose and Kevin Shakesheff talk through the science behind this new field of 3D bioprinting, while – via live feed to the University of Nottingham – experts demonstrate this cutting-edge technology in action.

32

4.15-5.15pm Nature S131

6-7pm Frontiers

Whales: Giants Of The Deep

Who Wants To Live Forever?

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee*

Despite being the mightiest mammals in the animal kingdom, the huge distances and depths that whales swim mean that we only capture mere glimpses of their underwater lives. Science and wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin dives deep into the ecology, behaviour and conservation of these complex and fascinating creatures with marine biologist Luke Rendell, Sea Watch’s Peter Evans and whale strandings expert Rob Deaville.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

S133

For generations, humanity has been fascinated by the concept of eternal life – and gerontologist Aubrey de Grey claims that his research can make it a possibility.

In a head-to-head debate with population ageing expert Sarah Harper, they test the boundaries of what is practical, possible, ethical or even desirable when it comes to conquering death in an ageing world.

SATURDAY 11 JUNE Tim Bowditch

cheltenhamfestivals.com

8-9pm Tech

S139

Cybersecurity Vs. Personal Privacy Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee*

6.15-7.15pm Nature

S136

Becoming An Animal S134

Einstein’s Fridge The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* Albert Einstein spent years tinkering with weathervanes and invented the world’s first refrigerator that didn’t need a motor, moving parts or coolant. He also made some particular blunders: despite his theory predicting them, he declared that gravitational waves ‘certainly do not exist’. Explore some of Einstein’s strangest and rarest work and the stories behind his biggest mistakes with physicists Jim Al-Khalili, Brian Foster and Heather Williams, and science historian Patricia Fara.

6-7pm Tech

With the aid of prosthetics, Thomas Thwaites transformed himself into a goat and scaled an Alpine mountain in the name of his research. Charles Foster has lived as a fox, a deer and a badger, burrowing underground and eating earthworms. These adventurers in the animal world join Alice Roberts to explain their intriguing transformations, considering how similar – and how different – we really are to other species.

6.30-7.30pm Design

S137

The Invention Lab ExperiTent £7 plus transaction fee*

S135

Superhuman Vs. Superhero Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee* Advances in engineering increasingly allow us to enhance our natural abilities – potentially putting us on the path to becoming superhuman. How close will these advances take us to the superheroes we see on the silver screen, and what impact will this have on society? Engineer Mark Miodownik, cyborg expert Kevin Warwick and ethicist Andy Miah discuss the latest developments and debate how much is too much human enhancement.

Ages 14-16 See centre pages for more information.

8-9pm Psychology

S138

The Nature Of Consciousness The Crucible £10 Res plus transaction fee* The nature of consciousness has intrigued philosophers and scientists alike for thousands of years. Can modern neuroscience ever hope to explain this mysterious phenomenon? With BBC Radio 4 presenter Adam Rutherford, neuroscientist Anil Seth delves into the history of the concept of consciousness and the study of the brain, revealing what can and can’t be explained.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

mcphersonstevens.com

6-7pm History

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

As cyber warfare becomes the new battleground, the lines of acceptable surveillance and encryption are becoming blurred. What are we willing to live with in exchange for our own personal security?

Join author and journalist Edward Lucas and information security experts Kenny Paterson and FC, as they ask: is privacy a thing of the past?

8-9.30pm Variety

S140

Science Variety Night: An Evening Of Unnecessary Detail EDF Energy Arena £15 Res plus transaction fee* Over 18s only.

Join mathematician Hannah Fry and a sensational selection of Festival speakers for an evening of inspiration, laughs, surprises and spectacular science. Music, comedy, words, ideas and plenty more: hosted by the man who puts the angle in newfangled, stand-up mathematician Matt Parker.

Guests to be announced at cheltenhamfestivals.com

33

SATURDAY 11 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270

10-11am Family

SF03

My Place In Space 8.15-9.45pm Design

S141

Ten Billion

The Crucible £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 5+

Film Screening

Discover your place in space as engineer Niamh Shaw takes you on a journey from the tiny atoms which make up everything, to the furthest reach of the universe. Help Niamh smash atoms and make a moving solar system on stage to learn about the planets, their positions in space and how they move around the sun.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £15 Res plus transaction fee*

Capturing The Sun ExperiTent NASA

Includes a complimentary drink following the event. Over 18s only.

Workshop

10-11am SF08 11.30am-12.30pm SF09 1.30-2.30pm SF10

£8 plus transaction fee*

See centre pages for more information.

Ages 11+ Build your own sun-capturing camera in this hands-on workshop. Scienceinspired artist Nick Sayers guides you through making a pinhole camera from old drinks cans, duct tape and other basic materials – ready to catch the sun from summer through to winter.

Workshop 10-11am Family

SF07

The Mystery Of Dark Matter 8.30-10pm Variety

S142

Science Of Chips Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee* Chips. Glorious chips. Delicious golden cuboids of potato-y goodness. Yum! Which oil should you use? What’s the ideal temperature? Does the type of potato, or the way you slice them make a difference and single, double or triple cooked? Join intrepid scientists Andrea Sella and Mark Miodownik as they investigate how to make the perfect chips, with help from James Ritchie from award-winning Simpsons Fish and Chips.

34

Helix Theatre £6 plus transaction fee* Ages 12+ Shockingly, we only know what makes up 5% of our universe – so what makes up the rest? Cosmologist Andrew Pontzen, particle physicist Tom Whyntie and astronomer Karen Masters take you on an interactive exploration of the other 95% – what scientists call dark matter and dark energy – and how you can help solve the mystery of what the cosmos is really made from.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Build Your Own Robot Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre Dance Studio 10-11.30am SF04 12noon-1.30pm SF05 2-3.30pm SF06

£8 plus transaction fee* Ages 9+ Robots can be used for so many incredible tasks, from search and rescue on earth to exploring distant environments out in space. How do they know what to do?

Find out with Harry Gee from Pibot as you programme a Tiddlybot, building your own robot from scratch before bossing it around.

SATURDAY 11 JUNE Phineas Jones

cheltenhamfestivals.com

12.15-1.15pm Family SF14

Tentacular Spectacular Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £6 Res plus transaction fee* 10.15-11.15am Family SF11

Rainbows, Bubbles And Fire

Paul Maclean

Ages 9+ Roll up! Roll up! It’s the fight of the century: squid vs. octopus and more in the ultimate battle of the cephalopods.

Find out which tentacled titan is top in this head-to-head showdown. Cuttlefish connoisseur Jay Culligan, squid specialist Simon Watt (Inside Nature’s Giants), nautilus know-it-all Kerry Perkins and octopus orator Russell Arnott go toe-to-tentacle as they champion their contenders.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 7+ What’s really at the end of the rainbow?

Find out as biochemist Nate Adams takes you on a tour of all things bright and colourful. Get hands-on with light, learn new words like ‘wavicle’ and get immersed in a spectrum of colour.

2.15-3.15pm Family

12noon-1pm Family 12noon-1pm Family

SF12

Your Unbelievable Brain Helix Theatre £6 plus transaction fee* Ages 8+ You shouldn’t always believe what you see and hear. Why? Our senses are controlled by the brain and sometimes your brain is just plain wrong – which leads to some really strange, and unbelievable, results!

Ginny Smith uses illusions to point out our brainy mistakes and show how they can sometimes trick us. You can even try some of the experiments at home to impress your friends and family.

SF15

Walking With The Animals SF13

The Really Heavy Show EDF Energy Arena £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 7+ How did Sir Isaac Newton come up with his ideas on gravity? BBC One Show resident scientist Marty Jopson travels through the history of gravity, from Ancient Greece to the hunt for the Higgs boson, with flames, silly machines, crossbows and an eggy mess along the way.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 8+ How come there aren’t any flying monkeys or wheels in nature? You walk on two legs, but why don’t fish? Moving from place to place is one of the most important things life does, but why do we all do it so differently? Zoologist Matt Wilkinson walks you through the evolution of hopping, swimming, jumping, flying and even crawling to discover why we just can’t stay still.

35

SUNDAY 12 JUNE

NASA

Box Office 01242 850270

Don’t miss today’s events for all the family: see page 40 for Sunday’s family programme.

10-11am Tech

S143

Updating The Grid: Integrating Renewable Energy Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

12noon-1pm

Renewable energy is becoming increasingly important, but with concerns as broad as providing a regular supply to transmitting energy successfully across the grid, making this transition is not without its challenges.

Sustainable energy expert Tim Green, power transmission specialist Carl Barker and Juliet Davenport, founder of an entirely renewable UK electricity supplier, investigate the engineering problems and solutions associated with the connection and integration of renewable energy.

10-11am Health

S144

Mind Over Body Town Hall, Pillar Room £8 plus transaction fee* The field of mind-body medicine is plagued by wild claims that mislead patients and instil false hope. But that doesn’t mean the mind plays no role in health. Science journalist Jo Marchant takes an evidence-based approach, explaining how our thoughts, emotions and beliefs can ease symptoms such as pain and influence the progression of disease from autoimmune conditions to cancer.

36

S145

Making Sense Of Massive Numbers Town Hall, Pillar Room £9 plus transaction fee* A million, a billion, a trillion – how can we get our heads around how big these big numbers actually are? Do we have any chance of understanding the truly massive numbers that scientists regularly deal with? Adam Hart, Andrew Steele and Helen Czerski set a course through the mathematical maze of magnificent magnitudes, from the number of bacteria on earth to how much we spent on the Large Hadron Collider.

12noon-1pm Physics

12noon-1pm Space

S147

Life On The ISS: The Mission Of Major Tim Peake The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* The Principia mission comes to an end just before the Science Festival, when astronaut Tim Peake returns to earth.

While Major Tim is getting used to life back home, our panel of speakers involved with the mission look back on his six months on the International Space Station. Find out what Tim was working on, the science he was studying and the highlights of his trip.

S146

A Beginner’s Guide 12noon-1pm Tech S148 Video Games: To Quantum Good, Bad, Or Just Physics Entertainment?

EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee* Quantum physics is the most accurate description of how our universe works (on a very small scale), but it shows a universe where really weird things happen. Physicist Terry Rudolph introduces you to the strange and surreal quantum world: where things can be in two places at once, light behaves both as a particle and a wave – and what is up with that cat in/not in a box?

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee* Links between video games and violent behaviour are regular tabloid fodder – but can these potentially brain-training games actually be a force for good? Adam Rutherford is joined by scientists Suzi Gage and Pete Etchells, games developer Tracy King and journalist Helen Lewis to explore the surprisingly challenging science of video games.

SUNDAY 12 JUNE

Angelika Renner, British Antarctic Survey

cheltenhamfestivals.com

2-3pm Health

2-3pm Nature

S149

Extreme Medicine The Crucible £10 Res plus transaction fee* Beth Healey spent a year at the remote Antarctica Concordia Station, where she performed experiments in a barren environment similar to the surface of Mars. Critical care consultant Daniel Martin has scaled Mount Everest, using data collected at high altitudes to help inform treatment in critical care. Alpine adventurer Kenton Cool joins these extreme scientists as they consider what happens to the body when it is pushed to breaking point.

2-3pm Psychology

S150

Mind Over Money Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee* Money, money, money. We need it; we spend it; we often want more of it. How much do we really understand the concept of currency, and why does it have such a hold on us? BBC Radio 4 presenter Claudia Hammond explores the latest research in psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics, revealing simple and effective tricks to help you think, use and save money better.

S152

The Arctic’s Changing Landscape Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

2-3pm Tech

S151

Hannah Fry: The Data Of Our Lives EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee* The more we use technology, the more footprints we leave behind – in almost everything that we do. What do the patterns of your life say about you?

Mathematician Hannah Fry runs the numbers as she charts our relationships with data: how, regardless of our illusions of free will, we can be surprisingly easy to predict; and despite the data deluge we seem as ill-informed as ever.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

The Arctic is hotting up: experts say that within decades the Arctic Ocean will be largely ice-free during summer months.

This could open up new shipping lanes and untapped oil reserves and cause environmentalists to clash with economists. So what does the future hold? Helen Czerski tests the waters with sea ice physicist Jeremy Wilkinson, Arctic plant ecologist Robert Baxter and geopolitics expert Klaus Dodds.

3.30-4.30pm

S153

Workshop

Mechanical Art ExperiTent £8 plus transaction fee* Unleash your creative side and find out the nuts and bolts of automation in this hands-on workshop with Stephen Guy from Fire the Inventor. Combine pre-made parts, chopsticks, a box and other materials into an automata or moving toy which bursts into life at the turn of a handle.

37

pokerstars.co.uk

SUNDAY 12 JUNE

Box Office 01242 850270

Liv Boeree

4.15-5.15pm

Psychology S158

The Idiot Brain Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee* Ever wonder why your brain sometimes appears to be sabotaging your life? For something supposedly so brilliant and advanced, the human brain is pretty messy – inefficient, illogical and at times plain stupid. Stop losing arguments with people who know less than you do: find out what your head is really up to with neuroscientist and comedian Dean Burnett.

The bar will be open during this event.

4-5pm How To...

S154

How To Win At Poker

From reading body language to calculating your odds, poker is as much a game of skill as it is of luck. Judgement and decision-making expert Andrew Colman, mathematician Adam Kucharski and world number one female poker player Liv Boeree discuss tips, tricks and the pitfalls to avoid at all costs, as they raise the stakes with Radio 4 comedian and serial bet-maker Tim FitzHigham.

Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee* Did you know that every single one of us has had our lives changed today by astronomers studying the night sky? It’s a little known fact that some of the most important technological advancements of the past few decades owe a debt of gratitude to the humble astronomer. After this hour with astrophysicist Brad Gibson, you might just walk away a little surprised by what you learn.

S155

Rebuilding A Hero The Crucible £10 Res plus transaction fee* For the many unreported soldiers who return from war with life-changing injuries, rehabilitation can be the difference between a life saved and a life lost. Reconstructive surgeon Rory Rickard, clinical psychologist Duncan Precious and physiotherapist Peter Le Feuvre join medical historian Emily Mayhew to discuss advances in treatments for both mind and body, considering how innovations in military medicine also transform care beyond the battlefield.

38

S156

How Astronomy Has Changed Your Life

EDF Energy Arena £10 Res plus transaction fee*

4-5pm Health

4-5pm Space

4-5pm

S157

Fighting Crime With Big Data Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £10 Res plus transaction fee* Big data – the data produced and analysed through our modern technological lifestyle – is being touted as a lifesaver. Can it really save lives? These vast amounts of information can, in fact, be used to solve and even predict crimes. How does this work?

And is it ethical, or legal? Join mathematician Hannah Fry, lawyer Marion Oswald and author of Big Data: Does Size Matter?

Timandra Harkness to hear their thoughts.

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

5-6pm Design

S159

How To Have Great Ideas!

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre Dance Studio £7 plus transaction fee* Ages 14-16 See centre pages for more information.

5.30-8.30pm How To... S160

The Times Cheltenham Science Festival Poker Tournament ExperiTent £5 plus transaction fee* You’ve heard from the experts, now try your hand in our Festival Poker Tournament. Will luck be on your side?

Test your skills against world number one female player Liv Boeree for your chance to come away with the title of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival Poker Champion.

SUNDAY 12 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com

6-7pm Space

S161

6-7pm Psychology

Smashing Galaxies

Colourful Language

Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre £8 Res plus transaction fee*

The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee*

Our Milky Way galaxy contains more than 100,000,000,000 stars, and is just one of 100,000,000,000 galaxies in the universe. How do these giant structures form and (more importantly) what happens when they smash into each other? Astrophysicist Alfredo Carpineti follows the evolution of a galaxy: from the big bang into the far future, when our neighbour galaxy Andromeda is expected to collide with us.

6-7pm Tech

S162

S163

The names we give colours are more than a clever way to sell crayons. Words for colour affect how we see the world: an Englishspeaking child sees red, orange and pink; where a child of the Himba tribe only sees ‘serandu’. Psychologist Marie Rogers shows the true colours of the world, exploring the latest research and the broader implications of how language colours our lives.

6-7.30pm Variety

6.15-7.15pm Nature

S164

Li-Fi: The New Wi-Fi

It’s All In The Genes

Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee*

Town Hall, Pillar Room £10 plus transaction fee*

What if every light bulb in your home could be a Wi-Fi hotspot? Efficient, secure and around 100 times faster than Wi-Fi, Li-Fi uses light from LEDs to do just that. Inventor Harald Haas puts his idea to the test live on stage, demonstrating why this pioneering technology is tipped to transform our homes, cities and the ways in which we access information.

We’ve all heard of genes – but do you know how they work? Rather than a static string of code, they are a dynamic, writhing biological library. Geneticist and author Kat Arney and science presenter Helen Arney enlist cats with thumbs, fish with hips and wobbly worms to unpack some of the mysteries in our DNA, explaining the latest thinking about how our genes work.

S165

Celebrating 50 Years Of Star Trek EDF Energy Arena £8 Res plus transaction fee* Boldly go with Jamie Gallagher and a host of scientists and sci-fi lovers to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, the show that inspired generations to become scientists and create technologies first seen on the small screen. With a light-hearted look at its influence on science and popular culture, they’ll ask: what did it get right and what will forever remain in the realms of sci-fi?

The bar will be open during this event. *Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

39

SUNDAY 12 JUNE mcphersonstevens.com

Box Office 01242 850270

10-11am Family

SF16

The 3D Space Tour EDF Energy Arena £6 Res plus transaction fee* Ages 8+ Emma Wride and Paul Roche from Science Made Simple present a three-dimensional tour of the universe through a combination of live action and short 3D films. Look around the International Space Station, visit some of the most unusual places in our solar system and discover just how small the earth is as we explore the scale of the universe.

10-11am Family 8-9pm Space

S166

The Universe In Your Hand Helix Theatre £10 plus transaction fee* What do we know about the beginning of the universe, and how will it end? With internationally renowned astrophysicist Christophe Galfard, be transported to the surface of our dying sun, fly to distant galaxies, find out what it would be like to be in the deathly grip of a black hole and get a glimpse of the beginning of time and the future of humanity in this wonder-filled journey.

40

8.30-9.45pm Variety

S167

Over-Ambitious Demo Challenge 2016 The Crucible £8 Res plus transaction fee* Steve Mould and Andrea Sella host the infamous Science Festival Demo Challenge, our annual contest for the most spectacular, impressive and showstopping demonstration that our invited scientists can conceive. Expect madness and mayhem as this year’s contestants Brian Mackenwells, Suze Kundu and 2015 defending champion Marty Jopson try to outdo each other – who gets your vote?

*Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

SF17

Why Messiness Always Wins Helix Theatre £6 plus transaction fee* Ages 11+ In the battle between order and disorder, science predicts that messiness will always win. Join our previous FameLab contestants to find out how six coins all coming up heads, the beautiful patterns in flowers and leaves, and the number of TV channels you can squeeze down a cable are all connected to this weird measure of messiness called entropy.

SUNDAY 12 JUNE

cheltenhamfestivals.com

12noon-1pm Family

SF22

Become A Nanoexplorer Helix Theatre £6 plus transaction fee* Ages 8+ Tiny-chemist Suze Kundu and microengineer Jamie Gallagher explore everyday examples of how cutting-edge nanotechnology is changing the world around us. Become a nanoexplorer and shrink down to join them on an incredible interactive journey to a strange nanoworld: gain superpowers, attack disease and even hitch a ride on a single-celled organism.

10-11am Family

SF18

Marty Jopson: Tricks Of The Body

Workshop

The Crucible £6 Res plus transaction fee*

10.30-11.30am SF19 12noon-1pm SF20 2-3pm SF21

Ages 7+ BBC One Show science expert Marty Jopson shows you the peculiar things you didn’t know you could do with your own body. From breaking wood with your bare hands to crazy illusions messing with your mind – Marty combines physics, maths, psychology and biology to show you’re not always in control.

Mechanical Toys ExperiTent

£8 plus transaction fee* Ages 5+ Explore the science of mechanical movement with Stephen Guy from Fire the Inventor. Get creative as you combine pre-made parts, chopsticks, a box and a load of art and craft materials into a moving toy that bursts to life at the turn of a handle.

2-3pm Family

SF23

The Miraculous Mysteries Of Molecules Helix Theatre £6 plus transaction fee* Ages 7+ Delve into the world of strange and mysterious molecules with former Blue Peter presenter Steve Mould. Find out the weirdness behind everyday materials like polystyrene and rubber, and high-tech substances you’ve never seen before. With tons of interactive demos and exciting experiments, discover how really long molecules can be so amazing and useful. *Fees are £2.50 for online and telephone sales, and £1.50 for in person sales with credit/debit card. No fee for cash sales.

41

Discover Europe with bmi regional

Bags fly fr

ee Complim entary drinks & snacks All jet fle et

Aberdeen

East Midlands

Hamburg

Dusseldorf Frankfurt

Bristol Paris Brussels

Munich

Southampton Milan Malpensa

Fly bmi regional.

Your business gateway to the world.

Book your flight at bmiregional.com 42

mcphersonstevens.com

SCHOOLS

Science for Schools With a great mix of shows, hands-on workshops and interactive zones to explore and discover, the Science for Schools programme guarantees a memorable trip to the Festival for thousands of children and young people. Our aim is to inspire the astronauts, cell biologists, design engineers and research scientists of the future.

‘My pupils love it. It is on their list of all-time favourite school trips. Several have decided they want to be scientists or engineers as a result, which has to be the best result of all.’ Gloucestershire Primary School To find out more visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/scienceforschools

Beyond the Festival We are always looking for opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom and have a number of year-round projects designed to do just that.

LabLive LabLive takes the best of the Festival on tour around the UK. These shows entertain and inspire Key Stage 3 students across the country. Look out for us in a town near you.

FameLab Academy Why do stars shine? Can dogs detect cancer? Why do we dream? These questions and more have been answered in just three minutes by over 1,500 students across Gloucestershire. FameLab Academy is a unique competition that equips Year 9s with science communication skills, developing their confidence along the way.

‘Visual, interactive, engaging and fun!’

‘This amazing project provides students with superb skill sets as well as being highly motivating and engaging.’

Somerset Secondary School

FameLab Academy Teacher

To find out more visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/education With thanks to our Education Partners: EDF Energy, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, GE UK, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre at the Royal Institution, Royal Holloway, Safran, Siemens, University of Hull.

43

PATRONS We would like to thank all of our Patrons, including those at Silver level and those who have chosen to remain anonymous, for their incredible support towards all four Festivals throughout the year.

Life Circle

mcphersonstevens.com

Mark and Sue Blanchfield Peter and Anne Bond Dominic and Jannene Collier Michael and Felicia Crystal Colin and Suzanne Doak The Eaton Family Charles Fisher David and John Hall Margaret Headen Diane and Mark Hill Jeremy and Germaine Hitchins Family Jonathan and Cassinha Hitchins Family Stephen and Tania Hitchins Family Jeff and Keren Iliffe Elizabeth and Michael Jones Family Rick and Lisa Jones Steven and Linda Jones Hugh and Sue Koch Robert and Moira Leechman Hazel and Jeremy Lewis Graham and Eileen Lockwood Fiona McLeod The McWilliam family in loving memory of Ruth McWilliam Keith Norton and Piers Norton Mark and Elizabeth Philip-Sørensen

John and Susan Singer Simon Skinner and Jean Gouldsmith Skinner Andrew Smith Phil and Jennifer Stapleton Sharon Studer and Graham Beckett Chris and Bridgette Sunman Fiona and David Symondson Ludmila and Hodson Thornber The Walker Family

Directors’ Circle Dr Lynda Albertyn and Pat Gallasch Mike and Kerry Alcock Jack and Dora Black Jennifer Bryant-Pearson Andrew Chard Michael and Angela Cronk Nigel and Sally Dimmer Stephen Hodge Andrew and Caroline Hope Simon and Emma Keswick The Kilvington Family Sir Peter and Lady Marychurch Hayden and Tracy McKinnes Des and ChiChi Mills The Oldham Foundation Dr Gill Samuels CBE Peter Stormonth Darling Charitable Trust

Gold Patron Geraldine and Jim Beaty Christopher Bence Stephen and Victoria Bond Charlie Chan Stuart and Gillian Corbyn Wallace and Morag Dobbin Peter and Sue Elliott Maurice Gran and Carol James Lord and Lady Hoffmann Anthony Hoffman and Dr Christine Facer Hoffman Elizabeth Jacobs Sir Michael and Lady McWilliam Janet and Charles Middleton Paul and Kathy Mottershead Ian and Sarah Passmore Martin and Susan Pickard Shelley and Paul Roberts Sharon and Toby Roberts Khal and Zoe Rudin Mrs Brenda Salters and Mr Harold Longmate Esther and Peter Smedvig Andy and Ali Stalsberg Giles and Michelle Thorley Ian and Liz Topping Michael and Rosie Warner Stephen Wood William Wyman

Get closer to the Festivals with Patronage Join this exclusive group of supporters and make a real difference to the artistic programming and education work of Cheltenham’s Jazz, Science, Music and Literature Festivals.

• Dedicated ticket line with advance booking • Access to hospitality areas at the Literature and Jazz Festivals • Invitations to special events and parties throughout the year From £75 per month, your Patronage covers all four Festivals.

To find out more please contact Arlene McGlynn, Patrons Manager on 01242 537252 arlene.mcglynn@cheltenhamfestivals.com or visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/patrons

44

mcphersonstevens.com

Please make a donation when you book Cheltenham Festivals relies on donations, ticket sales, sponsorship and gifts in wills to deliver four world-class festivals, and a year-round education programme which seeks to inform, educate and inspire.

Donations help us to: • • • • •

Programme unique events Premiere new pieces of work Give opportunities to emerging artists Provide a vibrant schools and family programme Work with young people throughout the year

Find out how to give your support at cheltenhamfestivals.com/support-us Charity No. 251765

45

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Acknowledgements The Times Cheltenham Science Festival is presented by Cheltenham Festivals, a company limited by guarantee.

The Times Cheltenham Science Festival

Cheltenham Festivals Board of Trustees Peter Bond (Chair), Susan Blanchfield, Lewis Carnie, Oli Christie, Dominic Collier (Vice Chair), Prof Russell Foster CBE (Chair of Science Festival), Edward Gillespie OBE, Prof Averil Macdonald OBE, Baroness Gail Rebuck, Dr Diane Savory OBE

Head of Programming Gina Collins

Chief Executive Louise Emerson Company Secretary Margaret Austen Registered Office 28 Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1RH

Festival Director David Reid

Acting Head of Programming and Festival Manager Ashley Kent Senior Programme Coordinator Karl Byrne Programme Coordinator Hana Ayoob Programming Assistant Emma Whittle Interactives Project Manager Christina Poulton Programmer Jo James FameLab Manager Helen Kirkman

Company No. 456573 Charity No. 251765 VAT Registration No. 100114013 Main Switchboard No. 01242 511211

CF Productions and Box Office Andrew Bate, Cathie HarrisHawkins, Elaine Holt, Silvia Loi, Jo Marsh, Helen Nightingale, Martin Perks, Pete Riley Development Sarah Cobley, Malcolm Dunn, Lisa Garrett, Louisa Hancox, Rod Hebden, Sue Heritage, Bex Kelly, Jenna Marks, Arlene McGlynn, Laura Popperwell, Sarah Rawlings, Charlotte Stevens Education Philippa Claridge, Ali Mawle, Sharron Pearson, Rose Wood

Administration, Executive and Finance Helena Bibby, Adrian Farnell, Angie Hawkins, Aline Imray, Bairbre Lloyd, Robin Pitt, Jessica Taylor, Megan Watt Press and Marketing Fenner Curtis, James Davis, David Drakeley, Hanna Goldschmidt, Candice Pearson, Chris Pearson Production Tim Hawkins, Adrian Hensley, Anna Pickton, Anna Poulton, Jemma Price Festival Advisory Group Prof Jim Al-Khalili, Andrew Cohen, Quentin Cooper, Dr Kevin Fong, Timandra Harkness, Mark Henderson, Dr Roger Highfield, Prof Mark Lythgoe, Prof Mark Maslin, Prof Mark Miodownik, Vivienne Parry, Prof Alice Roberts, Dr Adam Rutherford, Dr Gill Samuels OBE, Prof Andrea Sella, Elaine Snell, Prof Kathy Sykes With many thanks to the staff and volunteers who provide invaluable support and help make the Festival a success.

Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/ thankyou for a full credit list.

Contact If you have any specific comments about any aspect of the Festival, please email science@ cheltenhamfestivals.com Photography Credits Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/ photos for a full photo credit list.

If you require this brochure in large format please call 01242 850270.

46

THANK YOU to our Partners and Supporters Associate Partners

In-Kind Partner

Marketing Partners

Media Partners

Don’t miss the Science Festival next year!

6-11 June 2017

More from Cheltenham Festivals in 2016: Cheltenham Jazz Festival

27 April – 2 May 2016

Cheltenham Music Festival

1-17 July 2016

The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

7-16 October 2016 47

HOW TO BOOK cheltenhamfestivals.com +44 (0)1242 850270 Before the Festival: CF Ticketing, 15 Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham, GL50 2AE (Office and phone lines open Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm) During the Festival: Festival Site Box Office, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA For full details about Box Office opening hours, in person and telephone tickets sales, booking fees, terms & conditions and Membership, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/booking If you have any special access requirements, such as needing to book a wheelchair space, you can book using our online form which will be available from 1 April 2016 at cheltenhamfestivals.com/booking

Getting to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival Cheltenham is easily accessible from all over the UK, by road and rail. Most events take place on the main Festival site, located in central Cheltenham on Imperial Square (GL50 1QA).

Other venues are within walking distance.

For more information on public transport and car parking go to cheltenhamfestivals.com/ your-visit

OFFICIAL RAIL PARTNER

Quicker and Easier Booking with Wish Lists Book tickets with just a few clicks by creating a Wish List in advance. Start yours at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science

Booking Dates Members’ Priority Booking: from 1pm, Wednesday 13 April 2016 Public Booking: from 1pm, Wednesday 20 April 2016

Are you aged 16-25?

Get ticket discounts and more with our new 16-25 scheme.

Find out how to register at cheltenhamfestivals.com/16-25

Venue Postcodes Imperial Square (including EDF Energy Arena, The Crucible, Helix Theatre ExperiTent and Space Dome) GL50 1QA Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre GL50 3AA Cheltenham Town Hall (including the Discover Zone) GL50 1QA

Who will win the science Olympics?

Find out at FameLab, the global science communication competition. Watch 29 national finalists from across the world battle it out to become the FameLab International Champion 2016.

Semi-Finals: page 18

Charity No. 251765

Grand Final: page 25

Illustration by Michelle Thompson