Cheltenham Science Festival brochure 2008

Media Partners

Education Partner

Principal Sponsors

4 – 8 June Box Office 01242 227979 cheltenhamfestivals.com

Sponsors & Supporters Title Sponsor

Media Partners

Education Partner

Principal Sponsors

Major Sponsors

Working in Partnership

Festival Partners

Regular Funders

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Thank you

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com

It is only with the generosity of our festival fans and commercial sponsors, donors and trusts that this and our sister festivals are able to bring world class culture to Cheltenham throughout the year.

With many thanks Donna Renney Chief Executive Cheltenham Festivals

As a research based pharmaceutical company, science is in everything we do. We have over 12,000 scientists discovering and developing medicines for the world’s most serious diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and HIV/AIDS. We hope and believe that the Cheltenham Science Festival will not only engage people in the excitement of science but also inspire pupils and students to become the scientists of the future.

Just as the country would grind to a halt without affordable, reliable, safe and sustainable energy, British Energy is dependent upon talented and committed employees. In sponsoring the Cheltenham Science Festival Schools programme, we want to play our role in nurturing that talent by encouraging young people today to become the scientists and engineers the UK will need tomorrow.

The Cheltenham Science Festival is a tremendous event and we are delighted to be supporting its work.

Channel 4 is committed to offering more programmes than any other channel, more programmes that make a difference to people’s lives, more programmes promoting UK talent and programmes with challenging and controversial subject matter. We support Cheltenham Science Festival’s mission to make science more accessible to the public and to inspire young people in the science of our everyday lives.

The Daily Telegraph is Britain’s best selling quality daily newspaper and is proud to be a Media Partner of Cheltenham Science Festival. See the Tuesday science page and visit www.telegraph.co.uk/science to read our extended online science coverage, including video, experiments and much more.

Get involved Associate your brand with world class events

Reach audiences of over 150,000 Inspire 14,000 school children Access press coverage worth £2.2 million Introduce your clients to the finest audiences, performers, musicians and thinkers Engage your company with our ground breaking cultural programme

For details about sponsorship opportunities at Cheltenham Festivals please contact Kathryn Honeywill 01242 264136 kathryn.honeywill@cheltenhamfestivals.com

Nick Ross Guest Director We are delighted to welcome Nick Ross to the festival.

Journalist, broadcaster and former presenter of BBC Crimewatch, Nick has programmed a series of events and other activities that will challenge your perceptions of our world. Look out for his events on Sunday 8 June.

‘By nature, and as a journalist, I am both curious and sceptical – and though scarcely a scientist myself (unless you count a psychology degree) – I revel in how science overturns so many of our intuitions and has opened so many windows on the universe, on our world, and on ourselves. Democracy means little unless it is well-informed and increasingly we need scientific literacy to make many of the great decisions that face us. Too often scientists have been distant and unfathomable, but the Cheltenham Science Festival is a kaleidoscope of discovery and fun. Just planning it has been entertaining. I hope you enjoy it – and please let us know how to improve it as it grows bigger year on year.’

Box Office 01242 227979

Welcome

Kathy Sykes Festival Director

Mark Lythgoe Festival Director

Welcome to the 2008 Cheltenham Science Festival: a five-day feast of debate, delight and entertainment. Explore ideas that make your world go around; debate the hottest topics; put your questions to some of the world’s leading thinkers and personalities; and conduct your own experiments in the Discover Zone, our free interactive exhibition.

This year the festival braves taboo topics. Are there too many people on this planet? Could brain scanners be used to predict our choices?

Is anything still beyond reasonable discussion? Explore the boundaries between scientific evidence and political correctness in matters of death, intelligence and crime. Then join our speakers to make light of the unspeakable, from the intriguing medical history of the vibrator to the bugs that take advantage of our passionate encounters!

As ever, we are pleased to welcome some of the most outstanding scientists and personalities of our time. Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker joins philosopher and playwright A C Grayling.

The present and former Chief Scientific Advisors to the Government John Beddington and David King, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees and Richard Dawkins all make appearances at the festival, and Robert Winston returns to explore the emerging field of epigenetics. Award-winning comedian Mark Watson takes a look at the lighter side of eco-living, while Tony Robinson shares some amusing historical tales and Richard Hammond takes families on a turbo-charged trip through Car Science.

The festival has expanded, with a bigger main arena, two days of free outdoor activities in our family fun days, and more events around Cheltenham. After Hours returns for some edgy evening entertainment, and look out for our new Talking Point, a place to continue debates and discussions inspired in events. Find information on all this, and more, on page 6.

From states of mind to the science of cocktails: find answers to questions you’ve never thought of asking, and those you’ve often pondered; inspire your future; imagine the possibilities.

We hope you will join us!

The Team Consultant Director Elaine Snell Festival Manager Sharon Bishop Festival Co-ordinator Gina Hodgkinson Development Manager Hollie Smith

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FESTIVAL FEATURES This year’s festival offers more than 100 events, including wide debate, a lot of conversation, a touch of comedy, and always great entertainment. Here we feature just some of the themes explored – look out for the coloured labels next to the events…

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MENTAL CAPITAL and wellbeing In our series of events on learning, we explore how you can keep your brain active and healthy throughout your life in Your Well-tuned Brain, and we look at Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, two of the most common learning difficulties.

Ticket Offer SUSTAINABLE WORLD In our distinguished series of climate events we cover topics as wide-ranging as population control and natural resource management.

We are delighted to welcome some of the country’s most influential figures in environmental policy, including the present and former Chief Scientific Advisors to the Government John Beddington and David King; and Jonathon Porritt, who makes a welcome return after being Guest Director in 2007.

Buy tickets for two or more Mental Capital and Wellbeing events and get £2 off the total cost. Concession code MC. Three Mental Capital and Wellbeing events take place on Sunday 8 June (page 18).

STATES OF MIND How can the study of different states of mind help us to understand what it is to be human? In an exciting series of events, we explore what the latest brain research tells us about three mental states: Sleeping and Dreaming, Unconsciousness and Hypnosis. The series culminates in a fourth event examining what each state says about our understanding of Consciousness.

Ticket Offer Buy a ticket for Consciousness (S37) and get £2 off one other States of Mind event. Concession code SM. Four States of Mind events take place on Friday 6 June (page 14).

Ticket Offer Buy tickets for three different Sustainable World events and get the cheapest for half price. Concession code SW. Four Sustainable World events take place from Thursday to Saturday.

NESTA FAMELAB NESTA FameLab is our exciting national competition to find talented scientists and engineers who can share their enthusiasm and knowledge with the public.

Since 2005 we’ve uncovered many brilliant communicators, including three fabulous UK winners – Mark Lewney, Jonathan Wood and Nic Harrigan – and, with the support of British Council, nine European winners.

TALKING POINT Inspired by a speaker or topic? More questions than answers? Now the debate doesn’t have to stop at the end of the event. Visit the Talking Point to continue your discussions with speakers and other members of the audience over a coffee.

Ask at the Info Point for more details.

AFTER HOURS

Many of our previous finalists have returned to take part in this year’s festival. And don’t miss FameLab International on Saturday 7 June (page 17).

Following last year’s success, After Hours continues in 2008 with a chance to explore some edgy and entertaining - and sometimes risqué! - science in a relaxed environment, over a drink.

What would the mortgage rate on Saturn be? Which of our most useful discoveries have been made by accident? What medical use could a vibrator possibly have?

See page 24 for more information about NESTA FameLab.

Discover this and more from 6pm every day.

A bar serving a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks will be available.

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Discover ZONE INTERACTIVE SCIENCE FOR ALL AGES ADMISSION FREE Open 10am – 6pm every day of the festival Cheltenham Town Hall The main hall is totally transformed into an exciting hands-on area, with activities and exhibits that will captivate and inspire curious minds of all ages. No previous science knowledge required!

Meet Robots Explore Molecules Test your reactions Create Electricity See what you could look like in 10 years Investigate DNA Try optical tweezers and much more...

Adults!

5-6pm on a week day is the perfect time to visit the Discover Zone. Pop in after work, when the schools have gone, for a more relaxed experience.

Explore the exhibits; talk to scientists; try something new.

Sponsored by

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Family Events

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com Visualise

Surfing the Solar System

SATURDAY7JUNE

VISUALISE THE BEAUTY OF SCIENCE

SURFING THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Bacon Theatre 7–8pm All ages S46 £4 In a spectacular show, science made simple mix live demonstrations, incredible sounds, physical theatre and spellbinding imagery to blow your senses away. With swirling whirlwinds, giant smoke rings and amazing dancing flames, the laws of nature are captured, explored and pushed to the limits. Science can be truly beautiful.

Town Hall 10–11am Age 9 to adult SF1 £5 Take a rollercoaster ride through the vastness of space with Lucy Hawking, author, with father Stephen, of George’s Secret Key to the Universe. Visit distant planets and far-off galaxies as you explore the mysteries of the Solar System and the fascinating universe beyond. Just remember to avoid the black holes!

Family Events supported by

Saturday 7 June Sunday 8 June Imperial Gardens From 11am Free

Come to Imperial Gardens for some free family fun, including: Mr. Bump and Little Miss Sunshine Climbing wall Inflatables Face painters Speed Gun Challenge Plus loads of hands-on science

On Your Marks…

FRIDAY6JUNE

In association with British Council’s Beautiful Science project

FAMILY FUN DAYS

Animal Adventure

www.glos.ac.uk Working in Partnership

ANIMAL ADVENTURE Town Hall 10.30–11.30am Age 5 to adult SF2 £4 Are you wild about animals? From polar bears to parasites, worms to whales, if there’s an animal you love, Nicola Davies, former presenter of The Really Wild Show, is bound to have a fascinating fact - or sample! - up her sleeve. This interactive show is also a unique opportunity to learn how to speak Whale!

ON YOUR MARKS...

GET SET...GOLD! Town Hall 12–1pm Age 7 to adult SF3 £5 As we all get on our starting blocks for the Beijing Olympics, find out how sport and science are surprisingly linked. How do people balance? Why do different balls have different surfaces? How can science protect athletes from injury? Limber up for an action-packed experience with the team from science made simple.

LIGHT FANTASTIC

DESIGN A ROBOT COMPETITION For details please see page 22

Town Hall 12.30–1.30pm Age 10 to adult SF4 £4 Why is the sky blue? How does Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak work? Could solar sails carry us to the stars? In a dazzling display, FameLab 2006 winner Jonathan Wood shows us the inspiration and fascination to be found in the use of light. The future really is bright!

Mr. Men

Create a Brain

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Family Events

Dinosaurs of the Sky

Richard Hammond

Living in the Stone Age

Whodunit?

SUNDAY8JUNE SCIENCE WITH THE MR. MEN Town Hall 2–3pm Age 4 to adult SF5 £4 Our very special guests Mr. Bump and Little Miss Sunshine have come all the way from Dillydale for a science lesson with a difference! They join Nic Harrigan and Lindsay Stenhouse for some exploration, excitement and spectacular demonstrations. © 2008 MML, ™ THOIP

FOOD EXPLORERS EXTREME EGGS Waitrose Food Studio SF6 10–11am Age 5–7 SF7 11.30am–12.30pm Age 5–7 SF8 1–2pm Age 8–12 SF9 2.30–3.30pm Age 8–12 £5 Explore the chemistry of the kitchen and take home your own creation in these interactive workshops. Parents do not need to buy a ticket but must stay in the store during the workshop.

EXPERITENT WORKSHOP CREATE A BRAIN Town Hall Age 5 to adult SF10 10–11am SF11 11.15am–12.15pm £5 Do you want to know how your brain works? Unleash your hidden creativity with science-based artist Lizzie Burns and explore the organ that makes you who you are. Find out about the different parts of the brain and what they do, and make your own 3D brain sculpture to take home.

DINOSAURS OF THE SKY

READY, STEADY, SCIENCE

Town Hall 10–11am Age 5 to adult SF12 £4 65 million years ago, a catastrophic event caused the total extinction of the dinosaurs… or did it? Matt Wilkinson tells the story of a lucky few who survived and of their descendents who evolved to become the birds of today.

Town Hall 12.15–1.15pm Age 5 to adult SF16 £4 Head Chef Steve Mould is not happy.

His kitchen assistants are spending more time thinking about science than actually doing any cooking! Join NESTA FameLab finalists Nic Harrigan, Marieke Navin, Peter Ziedman and Martin Coath to discover the exciting science secrets hiding inside your kitchen; from microwaves to red cabbage and beyond!

JACK AND JILL WHY SO ILL? Town Hall 10–11am Age 5 to adult SF13 £4 What can children’s stories teach us about medicine? Spend a fun, interactive hour with Mark Steer and Andrew Impey from the Journal of Unlikely Science as they find cures for the characters from our favourite nursery rhymes and fairytales.

LIVING IN THE STONE AGE Town Hall 10–11am Age 9 to adult SF14 £5 Imagine it is 6,000 years ago. You have to make your own clothes and shelter, find and hunt for your own food, build your own fire... and it’s snowing! Join Michelle Paver, author of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, for an eyeopening insight into Stone Age life.

RICHARD HAMMOND CAR SCIENCE Town Hall 12–1pm Age 10 to adult SF15 £6 Top Gear’s Richard Hammond is in the driving seat for this turbocharged tour through the nuts and bolts of car technology. Find out how cars revolutionised the world, steer to the fundamental science behind the mechanics, then sit back for an exciting look into the future of minimal emissions, maximum fun.

LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING Town Hall 2–3pm Age 10 to adult SF17 £4 When you look up on a clear night at an open sky filled with stars what are you really seeing? A jungle teeming with life, or a desert? Join Kevin Fong to ask the big question - the one about Life, the Universe and Everything - and explore how future astronauts will help us find some of the answers. Are we really alone?

EXPERITENT WORKSHOP WHODUNIT? Town Hall Age 7 to adult SF18 12.15–1.15pm SF19 2–3pm SF20 3.45–4.45pm £5 A dastardly crime has been committed and the team from Explore-At-Bristol need your help to find the person responsible. Use your eyes and ears to investigate the clues, try forensic techniques such as fingerprinting and ink analysis, and see if your detective skills and quick wits can help find the answers.

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WEDNESDAY4JUNE Chris Wise

The Secret World of Abuse

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com 100 Years of British Aviation

FROM BLUEPRINT TO BUILDING Town Hall 10.15–11.15am S1 £5 (£4) How does a revolutionary architectural design go from drawing board to reality with minimal impact on the environment? Engineering is often pushed to its limits in order to realise an innovative plan. Is it fair that the architect usually gets the credit… until something goes wrong! Engineer Chris Wise, known for the infamous ‘wobbly’ Millennium Bridge, discusses the value of teamwork with architect Keith Bradley and environmental engineer Patrick Bellew.

Part of the Shape The Future campaign

THE SECRET WORLD OF ABUSE Town Hall 12–1pm S2 £5 (£4) What makes somebody want to harm another? Whether it’s cruel words, violence, or unwanted sex, abuse has a severe impact on the lives of the victims. Louise Arsenault from the Institute of Psychiatry discusses the biology and psychology of abuse with Kathy Charles from Napier University and Collette Isabel Bentley, who has learnt to cope with the horrors of her early childhood.

The Power of Fusion

Toxic Truth

99.9% HUMAN THE MORAL MAZE Town Hall 2–3.30pm S3 £5 Festival Fee Join Michael Buerk and his panel – Melanie Phillips, Michael Portillo, Claire Fox and Clifford Longley – to tackle a big moral question in science. A unique chance to take part in the most provocative programme on radio, which says the unsayable and asks the unaskable.

Town Hall 4.15–5.30pm S6 £7 (£6) For the first time, UK scientists have been given the go-ahead to create cloned human embryos from non-human eggs.

This revolutionary technique could lead to new treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Stephen Minger and Lyle Armstrong, who are using the promising but controversial technology, join ethicist Lord Harries of Pentregarth to debate the ethical questions these so-called hybrids raise.

100 YEARS OF BRITISH AVIATION Town Hall 2.15–3.15pm S4 £5 (£4) In 1908 Samuel Cody made the first power-assisted flight from British soil: he travelled 1,390 feet. Now the Airbus A380 carries 853 people for thousands of miles. Take a flight through 100 amazing years of British aviation with Concorde pilot Tim Orchard, Rolls-Royce Chief Engineer Sam Beale and Director of the Fleet Air Arm Museum Graham Mottram.

THE POWER OF FUSION Town Hall 4.30–5.30pm S7 £5 (£4) Nuclear fusion has been hailed as the next big thing in energy. The world’s first powerplant scale device, ITER, is already in development, but with mind-blowing challenges – not least 100,000,000˚C temperatures – can we really build a star on Earth? Chris Llewellyn, Director of UKAEA’s Culham lab, David Jenkins from York University and Kate Lancaster from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory discuss the future of fusion.

THE KINGDOM OF INFINITE SPACE Town Hall 4–5pm S5 £6 (£5) Uniquely combining biological science and philosophy, acclaimed author and doctor Raymond Tallis takes the head apart, piece by piece. From the act of blushing to the curiousness of a kiss and the process of thought, he demonstrates that our heads can be infinitely cleverer than we are, and we can be infinitely cleverer than our heads.

SCIENCE CAFÉ TOXIC TRUTH MAN-MADE OR NATURAL? Town Hall 5–6pm S8 Free There is a modern perception that natural is good and man-made is bad.

Are organic products really better for us than processed? Can we assume that all herbal medicines are safe?

Chemist Andrea Sella and herbalist Simon Mills join the debate.

Nice or Nasty?

Richard Dawkins

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WEDNESDAY4JUNE

Shaken or Stirred

Sperm Warfare

Photography

THE GOD PARTICLE IS SCIENCE THE NEW RELIGION?

NHS FUNDING NICE OR NASTY?

Town Hall 6–7pm S9 £7 (£6) What would scientific proof for a ‘theory of everything’ mean for religion? The world’s largest particle accelerator switches on in Switzerland this year. It will hunt for the Higgs boson, often called the ‘God Particle’ for its importance in confirming our most fundamental theories of matter.

In an international panel, Lord Harries of Pentregarth, CERN particle physicist Albert de Roeck and Greek journalist George Zarkadakis join Jim Al-Khalili to debate whether science could ever address the ultimate questions of reality.

Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S11 £7 (£6) The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is responsible for making some of the toughest decisions in medicine: to fund or not to fund? As radical new treatments become available and the cost of drug development rises, is there a danger that NHS budgets won’t be able to keep up? NICE Chairman Michael Rawlins discusses the delicate balancing act with Wendy Fulcher from the Brain Tumour Research Campaign.

Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S10 £5 (£4) The word nanotechnology inspires fear in many, but it could provide some of the most exciting developments in medicine.

Jonathan Wood, winner of FameLab 2006 and deputy editor of Nano Today, joins Mark Green from King’s College London to discover how ‘quantum dots’ might literally deliver an effective, personalised treatment for one of our biggest killers: cancer.

Look out for the FREE science cafés every day...

Town Hall 9–10.30pm S14 £15 (£13) Including cocktails to taste, over 18s only

Do you prefer a refreshing margarita or a strong absinthe shooter? What is it about the combination of vodka and vermouth that makes James Bond such a fan of the vodka martini (shaken, of course)? Chemist Andrea Sella and food psychologist Charles Spence join flamboyant Hotel du Vin barman Philippe to mix some delicious cocktails with a twist of science.

In association with Hotel du Vin

AFTER HOURS

In association with British Council’s Beautiful Science project

QUANTUM DOTS

SHAKEN OR STIRRED?

MY HERO DAWKINS ON DARWIN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Town Hall 8.30–9.30pm S12 £10 (£8) In 1859 Charles Darwin shocked the world with a radical theory of evolution by natural selection, a theory that remains controversial. Richard Dawkins has dedicated his life to studying, explaining and defending Darwin’s theory. To coincide with his forthcoming Channel 4 series, he tells the story of Darwin’s life and how he came up with perhaps the single most important idea in human history.

Town Hall 7–8pm S15 £4 (£3) Amateur physicists and photographers unite! Are you baffled by the myriad settings on your digital camera?

Discuss the fundamentals of light, explore artistic ideas and discover what you actually need to know to take the perfect photograph with professional landscape photographer Joe Cornish. Bring your camera and practice your newfound skills in the garden afterwards.

FREE WILL

SPERM WARFARE

Town Hall 8.30–9.30pm S13 £8 (£7) The concept of free will has been debated by philosophers for centuries. But if the laws of nature and religious belief control the way we live, what does free will really mean? Is it a privilege only humans can enjoy – if they are lucky enough? Steven Rose, Raymond Tallis and Pierre Magistretti discuss the philosophy, science and ethics of free will.

Town Hall 9–10pm S16 £4 (£3) So you’ve found a healthy, fertile mate, you’ve successfully fought off your rivals and you’re convinced it’s a perfect match! But the reproductive contest is far from over – you must now enter the realms of Sperm Warfare!

Join Simon Watt for an entertaining exploration into the devious tricks used by cells, organs and bodies to win the race to fertilisation.

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thursDAY5june Computer Whizz

Robotic World

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com The Caffeine Kick

Robert Winston

Future Cars

Maggie Aderin

COMPUTER WHIZZ THE BEST IS YET TO COME

EPIGENETICS GHOSTS IN YOUR GENES

SUSTAINABLE WORLD JOHN BEDDINGTON

Town Hall 10.30–11.30am S17 £5 (£4) The last 50 years have seen a massive explosion in computer science but the next 50 years look set to be a period of even more astonishing progress. Join Dave Cliff for a rapid and light-hearted journey from the first processors that filled a large room, through iPods and the World Wide Web, to the computers of the future that we hardly dare dream of!

Town Hall 2.30–3.30pm S20 £5 (£4) How can two flowers found growing separately look totally different yet have identical DNA? How is it that a person’s life can be shortened by an experience their grandfather had when he was only nine years old? If identical twins have identical genes, why do they have different fingerprints and may suffer from different inherited diseases? Robert Winston explores epigenetics – hidden influences upon genes – that could lead to the most important developments in medicine in our lifetime.

Town Hall 4.15–5.15pm S22 £7 (£6) The new Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government John Beddington is one of the world’s leading experts in the problems of the biology and economics of natural resource management. His unique position and authority give him significant influence over both British and global environmental policy. In a frank discussion with Jonathon Porritt he considers the best ways to look after the Earth’s precious resources and the targets and challenges he faces in his new role.

ROBOTIC WORLD Town Hall 12–1pm S18 £5 (£4) Would you trust robots to care for your elderly parents, or feed your children and change their nappies?

Should they be allowed to decide who to kill in war? Robots are already becoming commonplace in positions of such responsibility. What does this mean for the human race? Who can be held accountable for their actions?

Noel Sharkey and Alan Winfield join Piers Bizony to discuss the ethical implications of a robotic world.

THE CAFFEINE KICK Town Hall 2–3pm S19 £5 (£4) What makes a good cup of coffee?

Is it the caffeine buzz? Or the pure pleasures of the finest blend, a perfectly formed frothy head and a sprinkling of cinnamon? Join Andrea Sella, Clive Page and Mark Miodownik to discover how chemistry, biology and engineering combine to create the perfect wake-up call, and the surprising contribution that caffeine has made to the treatment of diseases like asthma.

FUTURE CARS CLOCKING ON Town Hall 4–5pm S21 £6 (£5) Do you thrive on an early morning?

Or are you a night owl? A good night’s sleep is said to be the secret to beauty, health and contentment, but your genetic make-up may conspire against it. Researchers at Swansea University have pioneered a new system for analysing the genes that control your sleep patterns. 2006 FameLab finalist Sarah Forbes-Robertson shows you the time of your life.

During this event you will be able to give a swab sample to test your genetic body clock. Test kits kindly supplied by Roche Diagnostics Ltd and Whatman plc.

Town Hall 4.30–5.30pm S23 £5 (£4) Life at the wheel is about to change.

Could you soon be filling your carbon-fibre car with hydrogen so that it can go to the supermarket for you? What will the high-tech world of Formula One inspire in the road cars of tomorrow? Your chauffeurs are Williams F1 Engineer Brian O’Rourke, The Daily Telegraph motoring correspondent Andrew English and vehicle designer Dale Harrow.

SCIENCE CAFÉ BEST OF THE FEST L’ORéAL LADIES’ DAY Town Hall 5–6pm S24 Free In a special ‘Ladies’ Day’ edition of Best of the Fest, Maggie Aderin and Sarah Forbes-Robertson join Festival Director Kathy Sykes to discuss events at the festival and the news behind the headlines this week.

Box Office 01242 227979 Nicky Hambleton-Jones

Food for Thought

Jim Al-Khalili

thursDAY5june

Time Team

Destination: Space

ASTROBIOLOGY

ARABIC SCIENCE

AFTER HOURS

Town Hall 6–7pm S25 £5 (£4) Earth is the only planet that can sustain life… as far as we know. What is it about Earth that allowed complex life to develop here? Could there be life on other planets? And how might we find it? Microbiologist Charles Cockell, astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell and geochemist Colin Pillinger are your guides to the living universe.

Town Hall 8–9pm S28 £6 (£5) For 700 years the international language of science was Arabic.

Many Europeans have never heard of scientific giants such as Avicenna, Alhazen and al-Biruni, but they rival Aristotle and Newton for their influence.

Jim Al-Khalili discovers the incredible advances in philosophy, maths, astronomy, medicine and physics that gave rise to modern science, and which would not have happened were it not for the spread of Islam 1,400 years ago.

DESTINATION: SPACE

BEAUTIFUL BEINGS Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S26 £7 (£6) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but beholders often unite. What makes someone beautiful? People often go to extreme lengths to achieve an image of perceived perfection, but is the link between beauty and happiness as real as it seems? Join mathematician Marcus du Sautoy and stylist Nicky HambletonJones, author of Top to Toe: The ultimate guide to becoming who you want to be, to consider the bounty of beauty.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S27 £7 (£6) The smell of warm chocolate brownies might get your mouth watering, but would you eat them if they were bright green? Does the thought of black pudding’s ingredients put you off before you’ve even tried it? Our perceptions of food come from more than just our taste buds. Join food psychologist Charles Spence and chef Fergus Henderson to discover how our senses combine to induce gastronomic cravings and loathings.

TIME TEAM Town Hall 8.30–9.30pm S29 £10 (£8) Tony Robinson digs deep into the world of archaeology with friends from Time Team. Share amusing anecdotes and historical tales with the team from Channel 4’s hugely popular series, and uncover a treasure trove of exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes stories.

HOW THE ZEBRA GOT ITS STRIPES Town Hall 8.45-9.45pm S30 £7 (£6) Some of nature’s most beautiful patterns and designs are defined by remarkable chemical reactions. But the word ‘chemistry’ usually inspires images of test tubes and Bunsen burners rather than the beauty of a zebra stripe or the delicacy of a feather.

Leave your fears of the periodic table behind and join Andrea Sella for some spectacular demonstrations that reveal the mysteries of how chemistry patterns our world.

Town Hall 7-8pm S31 £4 (£3) Imagine if, one day, in a far-distant time, we needed to leave Earth and colonise other planets in order for the human race to survive. Where would we go? And what would the weather be like? Andrew Impey and Mark Steer, from the Journal of Unlikely Science, and science writer Piers Bizony take an entertaining look at the value of planetary real estate.

TIGHT CORSETS WHILST READING FRENCH NOVELS THE VIBRATOR Town Hall 9–10pm S32 £4 (£3) Vivienne Parry traces the science and history of vibrators from operating theatre to high street. Initially designed by medical manufacturers to automate a job no doctor could be bothered with, the story of vibrators is one to thrill anyone interested in the history of medicine.

Look out for the FREE science cafés every day...

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FRIDAY6JUNE Hypnosis

Sleeping and Dreaming

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com Sustainable China

The Prince and the Rainforests

Advances in Medical Technology

STATES OF MIND HYPNOSIS

STATES OF MIND UNCONSCIOUSNESS

THE PRINCE AND THE RAINFORESTS

Town Hall 10–11am S33 £6 (£5) How does the artificial manipulation of human consciousness work? And what are the risks? Do hypnotherapists reach the depths of the unconscious mind to change our behaviour, or are they merely tricking us into self-deception?

Hypnotherapist Michael McCoy and psychologist Peter Naish discuss the psychology and neuroscience of trance.

Town Hall 2.30–3.30pm S36 £6 (£5) Do people have some hidden understanding of speech when they are unconscious? Recent brain imaging research has detected signs of awareness in patients who cannot respond or communicate, raising questions about how doctors and families should deal with patients in a vegetative state. Neuroscientists Matt Davis and Parashkev Nachev talk to Robert Winston about one of the most ethically challenging conditions in modern medicine.

Town Hall 4–5pm S38 £7 (£6) The world’s tropical rainforests are being destroyed at a frightening pace, contributing around one fifth of annual global carbon dioxide emissions.

So tackling deforestation might be one of the quickest and most costeffective ways of combating climate change. With a specially recorded video introduction from HRH The Prince of Wales, Kevin Conrad, the Papua New Guinea spokesman who famously told the USA to ‘provide leadership or move out of the way’ at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali last year, joins us to discuss the preservation of a precious resource.

STATES OF MIND CONSCIOUSNESS

In association with The Prince’s Rainforests Project

STATES OF MIND SLEEPING AND DREAMING Town Hall 12–1pm S34 £6 (£5) We sleep for about one third of our lives, and this most enigmatic of mental states has inspired science and art for centuries. But what does the latest research reveal about our brains during sleeping and dreaming?

Join Director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre Chris Idzikowski and social anthropologist Iain Edgar to discover the secrets of our slumbering minds, and how different cultures have understood their visual creations.

Town Hall 4–5.15pm S37 £8 (£7) Peter Naish and Chris Idzikowski join neuroscientist Geraint Rees, philosopher Richard Ashcroft and broadcaster Vivienne Parry to debate what three ‘States of Mind’ – sleep, unconsciousness and hypnosis – tell us about the human brain and consciousness. How can the latest in brain-mapping, neuroscience and psychology help us to understand what it is to be human?

SUSTAINABLE WORLD SUSTAINABLE CHINA Town Hall 2–3pm S35 £6 (£5) China’s rapid development is set to have a huge impact on global carbon emissions and, with our demands for cheap products, we are partly responsible. So how can China develop economically, yet in an environmentally sustainable way? Peter Head, the ARUP engineer responsible for the world’s first sustainable city at Dongtan, joins Jonathon Porritt to explore the possibilities for a new ecological age.

STATES OF MIND Ticket Offer Buy a ticket for Consciousness and get £2 off one other States of Mind event. Concession code SM.

ADVANCES IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY Town Hall 4.30–5.30pm S39 £5 (£4) Revolutionary medical technologies such as carbon and proton beam therapy could offer quicker diagnosis and better treatment for thousands of cancer patients. Bill Gelletly identifies some of the latest ideas in medical physics and discusses the challenges of bringing them to patients with Chief Executive of the EPSRC David Delpy and chair of the government’s Technology Strategy Board Graham Spittle.

Box Office 01242 227979 Mind Reader

Right to Die

SCIENCE CAFÉ Town Hall 5–6pm S40 Free Scientific advancement often incites controversy and debate. The topic discussed in this café will be decided in the run up to the festival and will appear in festival publicity. Join Festival Director Mark Lythgoe and UK experts to discuss the hottest science issue of the moment.

MIND READER Town Hall 6.15–7.15pm S41 £7 (£6) Can a brain scan reveal your character?

From the shady world of neuromarketing to MRI-scan evidence in courts of law, technology that was developed as a medical diagnostic tool can now be used for a whole lot more.

Neuroscientists Geraint Rees and Katja Wiech join criminal lawyer James Hasslacher to debate whether those in power should be allowed to use science and technology to read our minds.

THE RIGHT TO DIE Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S42 £6 (£5) Facing death from a mountain summit or war zone is considered heroic; yet choosing to end unbearable suffering is still a social taboo. Ethicist Richard Ashcroft confronts life and death issues with Sarah Wootton from Dignity in Dying and Edward Turner, whose mother went to Switzerland to die with medical assistance. As modern medicine keeps us alive against the odds, how can we learn to deal with death?

Jonathon Porritt

FRIDAY6JUNE

Slam the Atom

SUSTAINABLE WORLD JONATHON PORRITT TOO MANY PEOPLE? Town Hall 7–8pm S43 £8 (£7) For many environmentalists, population management remains a taboo topic.

Not so for Jonathon Porritt, who says that we cannot reduce carbon emissions and support economic development without addressing the impact that a growing world population – set to reach 9.1 billion by 2050 – and its demands will have.

Join him to discuss how we can reduce human numbers in a way that is fair, democratic… and fast.

SLAM THE ATOM! Town Hall 8.45pm–late S44 £5 (£4) Throw caution to the wind and experience titillation on a competitive scale as fifteen performance poets bare their unprintables in a bid to become the evening’s shining wit (or vice verse-a). Whose forbidden fruit will be ripe for picking? MC2 Sara-Jane Arbury and Marcus Moore watch the points, while random judges rate the writing, measure the performances and find the wordster with the winning formula.

Be warned: in the science of slamology, there’s no such thing as censorship…

BEN GOLDACRE BAD SCIENCE Town Hall 9–10pm S45 £8 (£7) The authority of science is being challenged by scientifically illiterate politicians more interested in spin than evidence and journalists misrepresenting facts for the sake of a headline. In his weekly Guardian column Ben Goldacre skewers the enemies of reason. Join him to find out how to spot the Bad Science behind the scare stories.

Bad Science

AFTER HOURS

VISUALISE THE BEAUTY OF SCIENCE Bacon Theatre 7–8pm S46 £4 In a spectacular show, science made simple mix live demonstrations, incredible sounds, physical theatre and spellbinding imagery to blow your senses away. With swirling whirlwinds, giant smoke rings and amazing dancing flames, the laws of nature are captured, explored and pushed to the limits. Science can be truly beautiful.

In association with British Council’s Beautiful Science project

NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Town Hall 9–10pm S47 £5 (£4) Experimental science panel game seeks test audience. Host Timandra Harkness and her backing band of backroom boffins put two teams of witty scientists and smart comedians to the test. See some of your festival favourites compete in a brand new format devised especially for Cheltenham by veterans of stand-up, improvised and Radio 4 comedy.

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saturDAY7june What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

Stories from Stats

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com So you want to be a Brain Surgeon?

In the Shadow of the Moon

Psycho-Geography

David King

WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED?

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON

LEARNING FROM OTHER PLANETS

Town Hall 10–11am S48 £6 (£5) Physically, the heart is the body’s battery, powering our everyday lives with remarkable regularity. Poetically, it is an emotional reservoir that sees us through life’s loves, losses, and stresses. Cardiac patient Alec Keep joins Sarah George from Bristol Heart Institute and psychologist Andrew Steptoe to connect hearts and minds.

Town Hall 2–3pm S52 £7 (£6) Between 1968 and 1972, nine American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon and 12 men walked upon its surface. 25 years on, the surviving astronauts tell their remarkable stories in the award-winning film In the Shadow of the Moon. With exclusive clips, co-producer and assistant director Christopher Riley discusses the making of a ground-breaking documentary.

Town Hall 4–5pm S55 £6 (£5) The Earth is unique. But what can the runaway greenhouse effect of Venus tell us about climate change on our planet?

What can we learn about the origins of life from Saturn’s moon Titan? Join John Zarnecki and Fred Taylor to discover how much our planetary neighbours reveal about our own changing world.

STORIES FROM STATS Town Hall 12-1pm S49 £6 (£5) 9 out of 10 journalists love statistics*, but inaccuracy and misrepresentation confuse 75% of readers* and can incite national alarm. Do statistics aid clarity? Or can numbers be twisted to support any opinion? Radio 4 presenter Andrew Dilnot talks to journalist Ben Goldacre about the reality of mathematical manipulation.

PSYCHO-GEOGRAPHY Town Hall 2.30–3.30pm S53 £5 (£4) Cheerful in Cheltenham? Gleeful in Gloucester? How does geography affect your mood? Christian Nold builds emotion maps of towns and cities by combining GPS technology with body-response sensors. He joins psychiatrist Hugo Critchley to discuss the emotional effect of place.

*entirely made up statistic

EXPERITENT WORKSHOP SO YOU WANT TO BE A BRAIN SURGEON? Town Hall Over 16s only S50 1.15–2.15pm S51 2.45–3.45pm £5 Do you have the steady hand and cool head required of a brain surgeon? Join neurosurgeon Edward McKintosh and his team to test your skills using real surgical instruments and try mock procedures that surgeons use in training.

SUSTAINABLE WORLD DAVID KING THE HOT TOPIC Town Hall 4–5pm S54 £7 (£6) David King, world-renowned scientist and the Government’s former Chief Scientific Adviser, is widely credited with persuading Tony Blair to act on climate change and getting key international figures around the negotiating table. How can we tackle global warming – technologically and politically – and still keep the lights on?

IMAGE OF A TROUBLED MIND Town Hall 4.30–5.30pm S56 £5 (£4) Imagine being convinced you are God. That was what Emma Harding believed, until she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She joins neuroscientist Shitij Kapur and Marjorie Wallace from SANE to discover how the latest brain imaging technology has improved our understanding of psychological disorders like clinical depression and schizophrenia, and how it can help manage the care and treatment of individuals.

SCIENCE CAFÉ BEST OF THE FEST Town Hall 4.45–5.45pm S57 Free A chance to debate some of the most topical issues with leading thinkers.

Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences David Weatherall joins Festival Director Kathy Sykes and some of today’s speakers to discuss events at the festival and the news behind the headlines this week.

In association with the Academy of Medical Sciences

Martin Rees

Iain Stewart

MARTIN REES: OUR EARTH, THE BIG BANG, AND BEYOND Town Hall 6–7pm S58 £8 (£7) Nearly 14 billion years ago, a mysterious ‘big bang’ started a series of processes that created the Earth, and us. We still have much to discover about how we came to exist, and doing so will require powerful new instruments – in space and on the ground – and a deeper knowledge of the links between cosmos and micro-world. Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society and Astronomer Royal, discusses the evolution of complex systems from simple beginnings.

Box Office 01242 227979

saturDAY7june

Good Vibrations

Ig Nobel Cabaret

Mark Watson

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Love and other Viruses

GOOD VIBRATIONS

IG NOBEL CABARET

Town Hall 8.30–9.30pm S61 £6 (£5) How we hear and interpret sound, especially music, is a complex question with some surprising answers. And even if you think you are completely tuneless, the mere act of listening can indicate a sophisticated musical ability. With interactive demonstrations, neuroscientist Martin Coath explains some of the mysteries of hearing, whilst Henkjan Honing from the University of Amsterdam reveals your inner virtuoso.

Town Hall 9–10.30pm S63 £8 (£7) In 2007 Gloucester doctor Brian Witcombe’s cutting-edge research into the side-effects of sword swallowing won him the prestigious Ig Nobel Prize. He joins Improbable Research editor Marc Abrahams and a host of improbable researchers for a cabaret of the improbable. Discover why ostriches think a relationship with their farmers is a match made in heaven. And if you are perplexed by the periodic table, then the periodic table table could be the solution you seek!

In association with EmCAP. Includes the results of experiments undertaken with HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival-goers in May.

In association with the Annals of Improbable Research

AFTER HOURS EARTH: THE POWER OF THE PLANET Town Hall 6–7pm S59 £7 (£6) Through 4.5 billion years and an extraordinary run of coincidences, the Earth has become a unique place in which life can thrive. Volcanoes, oceans, the atmosphere and ice are all vital in keeping the Earth, and us, alive. With ground-breaking imagery, geologist Iain Stewart, presenter of the landmark BBC series, explores the forces that drive our remarkable planet and shape its destiny.

MARK WATSON CRAP AT THE ENVIRONMENT Town Hall 8.45–10pm S62 £10 (£8) What the environmental movement really needs is a hard-travelling, blissfully ignorant comedian with no credibility whatsoever to talk on serious issues. No, seriously. On the principle of ‘go on, do it’, awarding-winning funny-man Mark Watson set up a blog announcing his intentions to halve his carbon footprint in a year. Within 24 hours, 500 had joined him.

He tells the story of the year that followed.

FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL Town Hall 6.45–8.15pm S64 £4 (£3) After tremendous success in the UK, FameLab has gone international! Join compere Quentin Cooper for the ultimate final of finals. Nicholas Harrigan represents the UK alongside the winners from nine other European countries. See them all in action, vote for your favourite, and find out who will be crowned the FameLab International champion.

In association with British Council’s Beautiful Science project

STRANGE FRUIT: THE JOURNEY OF THE HUMAN RACE Town Hall 6.30–7.30pm S60 £6 (£5) The scientific debate about race is back, and with a vengeance. Kenan Malik weaves politics, history, science and philosophy to challenge conventional ways of thinking about race and identity. Exploring issues from the science of skull measurement to the genetics of altruism and the failures of multiculturalism he shows why race can be useful in scientific research, even though it is not a rational scientific category.

LOVE AND OTHER VIRUSES

Look out for the FREE science cafés every day...

Town Hall 9–10pm S65 £4 (£3) What makes someone attractive? Back with an updated show, 2006 FameLab finalists Davina Bristow and Karl Byrne answer this and more in their quest to discover why we fall in love. And why is sex a really really good idea, despite the myriad malicious bugs ready to take advantage of our amorous liaisons?

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SUNDAY8JUNE Your Well-tuned Brain

Dyslexia

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com Dyscalculia

Climate Engineering

MENTAL CAPITAL and wellbeing your well-tuned brain

MENTAL CAPITAL and wellbeing DYSCALCULIA

Town Hall 10.15–11.15am S66 £6 (£5) Former Reith lecturer Tom Kirkwood explores the fascinating concept of ‘mental capital’ – keeping your brain active and healthy. How can you development mental capital? What erodes it? And how can you protect it through childhood, adolescence, working life and old age?

Town Hall 2–3pm S68 £6 (£5) We are born to count, yet many of us are rubbish at sums. So have some of us got dyscalculia, which is to maths as dyslexia is to reading?

Neuropsychologist Brian Butterworth, author of The Mathematical Brain, reveals our number sense.

MENTAL CAPITAL and wellbeing DYSLEXIA Town Hall 12–1pm S67 £6 (£5) Neuroscientist Usha Goswami explores what we know about the causes of dyslexia. What is going on in the brains of those who have dyslexia? And what does this knowledge tell us about current support and future diagnosis?

MENTAL CAPITAL and wellbeing Ticket Offer Buy tickets for two or more Mental Capital and Wellbeing events and get £2 off the total cost. Concession code MC.

CLIMATE ENGINEERING Town Hall 2.15–3.15pm S69 £7 (£6) From ocean seeding to giant planetary sunshades, many technological fixes have been proposed to ‘engineer’ the world’s climate to counter the effects of climate change. Jonathon Porritt discusses the options with Robert Watson, Chief Scientific Advisor to Defra, Roland Clift, founding director of the Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey, and environmental scientist Andrew Watson. Who has the right to conduct an experiment that would alter our world for ever? And is such drastic action really more effective than persuading us to change our habits?

Steven Pinker

A C Grayling

SCIENCE CAFÉ HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? Town Hall 3.30–4.30pm S70 Free An opportunity to give Festival Directors Mark Lythgoe and Kathy Sykes your views about this year’s Cheltenham Science Festival and contribute ideas for next year.

STEVEN PINKER & A C GRAYLING Town Hall 4–5pm S71 £8 (£7) Words can have immense power. We threaten and bribe and seduce in often elaborate and comical ways. We impose taboos on words like sex and excretion and divine. We swear, and stamp our feet metaphorically. Psychologist Steven Pinker joins philosopher and playwright A C Grayling to discuss the unexpected and fascinating things that language reveals about ourselves.

Inspired by a meeting of minds at The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

LIVING WITH NUCLEAR Town Hall 4–5pm S72 £6 (£5) The Government says our low carbon energy future is nuclear. But questions still remain: what can we do to minimise the risks from radiation? How do we make sure that dangerous waste is safely disposed of? And can we stop radioactive materials getting into the wrong hands? Bill Lee, Head of Materials at Imperial College, discusses the real issues with Gayle Cairns from British Energy and former nuclear safety regulator David Slavin.

Living with Nuclear

The Normality of Crime

THE NORMALITY OF CRIME Town Hall 4.15–5.15pm S73 £8 (£7) Crime is one of our biggest political and social issues. But most criminals are not the deviant psychopaths we might imagine them to be: by the age of 30, one in three men will have a criminal conviction. Are we as honest as we like to say we are? Gloria Laycock, Director of the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, joins Nick Ross to discuss the normality of crime.

Box Office 01242 227979

SUNDAY8JUNE

What makes a Brilliant Mind?

Mark Lewney

Engineering the Gold

ENGINEERING THE GOLD

SCIENCE KNIGHT

Town Hall 6–7pm S75 £6 (£5) These days elite sport isn’t just about human performance. From the humble golf ball to prosthetic limbs that could allow a Paralympian to outrun an able-bodied athlete, sports technology has become a multi-million pound industry. Materials engineer Martin Strangwood joins sports engineer David James to discuss the mechanics and ethics of winning and losing.

Town Hall 8.15–9.15pm S77 £6 (£5) Travel back in time on an hilarious medieval adventure to the origin of the words science and engineering. 2005 FameLab winner Mark Lewney dons full plate armour to tell a Knight’s Tale of ingenious inventions, peculiar practises, and beliefs so bizarre it’s no wonder they called them the High Middle Ages.

In association with The Royal Institution

Programmed by Nick Ross

WHAT MAKES A BRILLIANT MIND? Town Hall 5.45–6.45pm S74 £8 (£7) IQ tests have long been used to put a value on an individual’s intelligence. But do most of the high-profile successes in the world – from presidents to entrepreneurs, or screen stars to astronauts – have particularly high IQs? Since we’re all so different what really makes a brilliant mind, and do IQ tests actually tell us anything of value?

Nick Ross talks to psychologist Steven Pinker, and neuroscientists Colin Blakemore and Sophie Petit-Zeman.

Programmed by Nick Ross

Nick Ross

CALL MY SCIENTIFIC BLUFF Town Hall 7-8pm S76 £6 (£5) Obscure scientific words and phrases come under the microscope at our annual mallemaroking of flerd and frask. Festival subaters Kathy Sykes and Mark Lythgoe are joined by aspectabund macushlas Quentin Cooper, Vivienne Parry, Nick Ross and Mark Lewney for a jolly joust in the laboratory of language.

Bell-dinger Marcus Moore hurls occasional backares and tphrowths.

AFTER HOURS

SERENDIPITOUS SCIENCE Town Hall 5.45–6.45pm S78 £4 (£3) If you think that scientific breakthroughs are always the result of years of meticulous planning and painstaking research, then think again. 2006 FameLab finalists Sima Adhya and Davina Bristow take an entertaining look at some of the happy accidents of science, from the invention of the microwave oven, via the identification of Uranus to the discoveries of antibiotics and Viagra.

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Science for schools

Schools bookings 01242 775822 / 91

Sponsored by

Snakes Title on Stage

WEDNESDAY4JUNE

THURSDAY5JUNE

FIRE, ICE AND AIR

FAST FORWARD

Town Hall 10–11am Key Stage 2 SS1 £4 Join Lightning Rod from Mad Science for some spectacularly impressive demonstrations. Fireballs, dry-ice storms and gravity-defying beach balls are just a few of the fascinating phenomena that will challenge your thinking about science.

Town Hall 10–11am Key Stage 4 SS6 £4 What is being done to make cars more environmentally friendly? What would happen if we could drive at super-speeds?

The NOISEmakers explore speed and cars of the future.

SNAKES ON STAGE Town Hall SS2 10–11am Key Stage 1 SS3 12–1pm Key Stage 2 £4 Join herpetologist Rhys Jones for an insight into the slithery world of snakes. Find out what they eat, where they live and even what they feel like… if you’re brave enough!

WOW! INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Town Hall 12–1pm Key Stage 1 SS4 £4 Imagine a world without electricity, plastic, computers, cars, or aeroplanes. Author Philip Ardagh looks at the inventions and discoveries that have made the world what it is today.

PRIMEVAL SLIME Town Hall 2–3pm Key Stage 2 SS5 £4 Can a solid flow, or a liquid bounce? Join physicist Mike Ries to explore the wonderful world of atoms, molecules and polymers.

In association with The Royal Institution

TEACHERS EVENT: ETHICS IN SCIENCE Nelson Thornes Thursday 5 June 6-7pm Free Exclusively for teachers Hot topics such as cloning and animal experiments are bound to provoke heated debate in the classroom, but what about other areas of science? Our feedback indicates that ethical topics within physics and chemistry can seem less inspiring for teachers and pupils. In a lively discussion our expert panel, including Jim Al-Khalili, suggests fresh ideas and strategies for teaching ethics in the physical sciences.

Numbers are limited for this free event, so book early.

The Supercool Show

The Teenage Brain

THE SUPERCOOL SHOW Town Hall 10–11am Key Stage 3 SS7 £4 What does it feel like to touch a cloud? How does heat move? The team from the Science Museum journey to the extremes of temperature - with some liquid nitrogen and the loudest balloon explosion ever!

COMPUTER WHIZZ: THE BEST IS YET TO COME Town Hall 10.30–11.30am Key Stages 4 and 5 For details please see page 12.

THE SCIENCE OF FORMULA ONE Town Hall 12–1pm Key Stage 3 SS8 £4 How do you keep a Formula One car on the track at top speed? How can you keep the driver safe? Join Williams F1 Engineer Brian O’Rourke and materials scientist Mark Miodownik for an exciting look at one of the world’s most glamorous and dangerous sports.

MONSTERS OF THE LABORATORY Town Hall 12.30–1.30pm Key Stage 4 SS9 £4 What happened in the Big Bang? How does a galaxy form?

Maggie Aderin demonstrates how telescopes and particle accelerators work, what they have already shown us and what we hope they will reveal in the future.

THE TEENAGE BRAIN Town Hall 2–3pm Key Stage 3 SS10 £4 Your brain is more amazing and complicated than the world’s most powerful computer, and the teenage brain has recently revealed some fascinating surprises to scientists. Join Nicola Morgan to explore your brain and how it works.

Schools bookings 01242 775822 / 91 Formula One

The Secret of the Winning Streak

Science for schools

On Your Marks...Get Set...Gold!

Andrea Sella

FRIDAY6JUNE

EXPERITENT WORKSHOPS

FROM STEW TO POO!

WEDNESDAY4JUNE UP, UP AND AWAY!

Town Hall 10-11am Key Stage 2 SS11 £4 We all know what food looks like before we eat it. And we know what it looks like after we’ve eaten it! But what happens in-between? Join David Wharton to discover the ins and outs of your digestive system.

THE SECRET OF THE WINNING STREAK Town Hall 10–11am Key Stage 3 SS12 £4 Which numbers will win the lottery? What is the best tactic for surviving on a game show? Place your bets with Marcus Du Sautoy, presenter of The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 2006, and find out how maths provides the best strategy for winning at games.

ON YOUR MARKs...GET SET...GOLD! Town Hall 12–1pm Key Stage 2 SS13 £4 As we all get on our starting blocks for the Beijing Olympics, find out how science and sport are inextricably linked.

Get ready for plenty of audience participation as you limber up with the team from science made simple.

WHEN IS A GAS NOT A GAS? Town Hall 12-1pm Key Stage 3 SS14 £4 Why are some materials solids whilst others are liquid or even gases? Why do some materials expand when you heat them while others contract? Join chemist Andrea Sella to find out all about the different phases of matter.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT! Town Hall 2-3pm Key Stage 3 SS15 £4 Join chef Rob Rees and nutritionist Sue Baic to find out how our bodies and minds work much better when fed with great wholesome food. Using a range of mouth watering yet nutritious ingredients a culinary delight will be created before your very eyes.

Please visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/education to download a full education programme.

Up, Up and Away!

Town Hall Key Stage 2 SE1 10–11am SE2 11.15am–12.15pm SE3 12.30–1.30pm SE4 1.45–2.45pm SE5 3–4pm £5 Discover the science behind hot air balloons with the team from the Science Museum. Make your very own hot air balloon and find out how high yours will fly!

THURSDAY5JUNE CHEMICAL CLOCKS Town Hall Key Stage 3 SE6 10–11am SE7 11.15am–12.15pm SE8 12.30–1.30pm SE9 1.45–2.45pm SE10 3–4pm £5 Did you know that a blob of slime or a burning wire can be used as a timer? Grab a lab coat and investigate chemical reactions with the team from the Bristol University School of Chemistry.

FRIDAY6JUNE BODY builders Town Hall Key Stages 2 and 3 SE11 10–11am SE12 11.15am–12.15pm SE13 12.30–1.30pm SE14 1.45–2.45pm SE15 3–4pm £5 Can your body inspire a work of art? What do the different organs in the body do, and how do they work together? Join artist and biochemist Lizzie Burns to create unique sculptures based on the anatomy of the human body.

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OUTREACH

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com

From the science of Formula One to the formation of galaxies, from art workshops to storytelling in your neighbourhood, the Education team devises and delivers an exciting year-round programme for schools and communities across Gloucestershire.

For all the latest news and information about our programme please visit

cheltenhamfestivals.com/education

CREATIVE MINDS: A project for schools and community groups We spend up to a third of our lives sleeping. Is this wasted time? What happens inside our heads when we sleep? Why do we need to sleep? Why do we dream?

The human brain is the most complex organ in our body. Every thought, every action, movement, memory, feeling and experience of the world is produced by this fascinating organ. In short, the brain makes you who you are.

We are delighted to welcome back professional science communicator and artist Lizzie Burns, who will combine her expertise in the fields of art and science to deliver a fascinating project. Linked to the States of Mind strand of the Festival and supported by Wellcome Trust, Creative Minds is an opportunity to look at science from a fresh perspective, to explore the workings of the brain through art workshops.

Lizzie’s workshops in local schools and community groups will provide a fascinating insight into what our brains are up to while we sleep. Participants will be encouraged to create their own pieces of artwork inspired by the brain, sleep and dreams by painting and decorating a simple white mask.

You can see the masks on public display at the Science Festival.

DESIGN A ROBOT COMPETITION Imagine a world full of robots - they can play football with you, do your homework, even choose your perfect outfit! If you could design your own robot what would it be able to do? And what would it look like?

Use your imagination and show us your ideas! We have some brilliant prizes and goody bags to be won. Send your design on one piece of A4 paper. You can use any art materials you like, but we want your work to be hand-made. Label any important bits and include a short description if you need to – but everything must fit on one side of A4.

There are three age categories: 7-10, 11-13 and 14-16 Send your picture by April 30 to: Gina Hodgkinson, Cheltenham Science Festival, 109 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7LS Write your name, age, phone number and address on the back.

See the science pages at cheltenhamfestivals.com for more information.

Lizzie Burns

@J K?@J K?< JFLE; F= 200 people singing Carmina Burana?

The BBC Philharmonic playing The Planets?

A solo cello in a beautiful Cotswolds church?

150 kids banging their breakfast in Cereal Samba?

Romanian gypsy superstars Taraf de Haidouks?

The Royal Marines Navy Band at full throttle?

240 schoolchildren singing their hearts out?

A tango band making the Pump Room go Buenos Aires?

Tallis’s 40 part motet aloft in Tewkesbury Abbey?

A string quartet serenading a sunny Pittville morning?

Your spine tingling with pure emotional pleasure?

2000 hands clapping?

EFE< F= LJ 8K K?< :?<CK<E?8D DLJ@: =<JK@M8C ?8J 8 :CL< But while we don’t know our sinewaves from our decibels, we do know that this July, Cheltenham will come alive with a massive range of what you science bods might call organised sound…music to thrill you, move you and make you think.

Come and join us!

Request your brochure now or pick one up in the Town Hall during the Science Festival.

Booking opens 21 April 4 – 19 July Box Office 01242 227979 cheltenhamfestivals.com

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Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com Lindsay Stenhouse

Mark Lewney

Jonathan Wood

NESTA FameLab is our national competition to find the new voices of science, engineering and technology.

Since 2005 we have uncovered some incredible talent. Our winners and finalists are developing into outstanding science communicators and it’s not just Cheltenham Science Festival that thinks so! They have delivered talks and debates at events across the country, been interviewed for newspapers and magazines, and have even appeared on national radio and TV. There are no less than sixteen NESTA FameLab finalists taking part in this year’s festival, covering a vast range of topics and styles. Highlights include Sarah Forbes-Robertson and Martin Coath, who are both running live experiments, and Jonathan Wood discusses nanotechnology. David Wharton enthuses school children in ‘From Stew to Poo’ and Nic Harrigan and Lindsay Stenhouse meet Mr. Bump and Little Miss Sunshine in their event for families.

And don’t miss the exciting FameLab International competition (page 17), when Nic Harrigan represents the UK alongside winners from nine other European countries!

For more information about NESTA FameLab and details of all the winners and finalists, please visit

famelab.org

NESTA FameLab is run in the UK in partnership with NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, and internationally with British Council.

Cheltenham International Science Festival in St Louis Due to its huge success in the UK, Cheltenham Science Festival is going to America!

Just like its sister festival, the first Cheltenham International Science Festival in St Louis will be a five day celebration of science, engineering and the arts, offering a great opportunity to interact with science and scientists.

It will have all the debates on hot topics, interactive displays, eminent scientists, fun-packed children’s events and amusing evening entertainment that is synonymous with the Cheltenham brand.

Its programme will be both entertaining and challenging featuring events like a guide to the science of laughter alongside debates about stem cell research, climate change and the existence of an intelligent designer.

The Cheltenham International Science Festival in St Louis will be held from 9–13 October 2008 at the St Louis Science Center. It will definitely be worth taking a holiday and joining us!

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British Energy is delighted to sponsor this year’s Cheltenham Science Festival Schools’ Programme – inspiring today’s young people to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.

leading the way in innovative science As the leading discoverer and developer of ground-breaking new medicines, Pfizer engages in innovative science to help address major unmet medical need around the world.

Whether it is using the human genome to identify new drug targets; pioneering novel approaches to HIV therapy or delivering the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first inhaled insulin, our scientists are always at the cutting edge of medical research.

Here at Pfizer, science is in everything we do and we are proud to support the Cheltenham Science Festival.

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To find out more about Pfizer, visit www.pfizer.co.uk

Our advanced technology knows no frontiers Messier-Dowty, a SAFRAN group company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of landing gear systems, in service on more than 19,500 aircraft making over 35,000 landings every day. The company supplies 33 airframe manufacturers and supports 2000 operators of large commercial aircraft, regional and business aircraft, military aircraft and helicopters. It is an international business with facilities in the UK, France, Canada, USA, Singapore and China.

The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gloucester facility has been at the forefront of landing gear technology for over 70 years, dating from the innovative solutions of Sir George Dowty to the advanced landing gears of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most modern aircraft.

Messier-Dowty Limited Cheltenham Road, Gloucester GL2 9QH Tel: 01452 712424 Fax: 01452 713821 www.messier-dowty.com

Messier-Dowty is pleased to support the Cheltenham Science Festival THE GLOBAL LANDING GEAR COMPANY

THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL DISCOVERY SCIENCE FOR HEALTH From molecular biology and clinical research to population studies, our focus is on funding science that improves human health. From identifying the flu virus to establishing the links between smoking and cancer, our scientists’ research has led to some of the most significant discoveries in medical history and benefited millions of people in the UK and around the world.

We are proud to once more support the Cheltenham Science Festival.

To find out more about the MRC go to

www.mrc.ac.uk

30

BOOKING INFORMATION Tickets on sale from 10am Monday 31 March 2008

Box Office 01242 227979 Mon–Fri 10am–8pm. Sat 9.30am–5.30pm.

Online cheltenhamfestivals.com No concessions are available online.

Email boxoffice@cheltenham.gov.uk Fax 01242 573902 Using the booking form opposite, include £1 to cover postage.

In person/by post Festival Box Office Town Hall Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1QA

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com Ticket Prices Ticket prices are shown next to each event with a concessionary rate in brackets. Please be prepared to show proof of eligibility for concessions at the Box Office and upon admission to events.

Reservations & Refunds All seats are unreserved and we recommend that you arrive in plenty of time before your event. The Festival cannot refund money or exchange tickets, except in the case of a cancelled event.

Credit/Debit Cards Visa, Mastercard, Solo and Maestro accepted. Please provide card number, issue number, expiry date, name and address of the cardholder.

Cheques Make payable to Cheltenham Borough Council.

Festival Bookshop Waterstone’s have a range of science-related titles and other merchandise at the festival bookshop, which is situated in Imperial Gardens, at the back of the Town Hall. It is open daily from 10am until the end of the last event. You can also visit their shop at Waterstone’s, The Promenade, Cheltenham 01242 571779.

Opening hours during festival Every day 9.30am – 9pm By post Please use the booking form opposite, including an SAE (minimum DL) or £1 to cover postage.

All faxes, emails and booking forms should reach us at least 48 hours prior to the event you wish to book.

TICKET OFFERS States of Mind Buy a ticket for Consciousness and get £2 off one other States of Mind event. Concession code SM. Sustainable World Buy tickets for three different Sustainable World events and get the cheapest for half price. Concession code SW. Mental Capital and Wellbeing Buy tickets for two or more Mental Capital and Wellbeing events and get £2 off the total cost. Concession code MC. Group Booking The festival offers one free ticket per ten seats booked, for one event in one transaction. Concession code G.

Support your Science Festival!

Cheltenham Festivals is a registered charity and you can help us keep the Science Festival thriving with a donation.

Unlike many festivals and commercial events we do not charge a booking fee for off-line ticket sales.

Instead, we are asking you – our customers – to add a voluntary donation of just £2 to your ticket booking.

Please just tick the box on the booking form or let the Box office cashier know when booking tickets.

Litmus Paper Litmus Paper is the festival’s daily, independent news-sheet edited

by Stet Press. Featuring reviews, interviews and the latest news, don’t forget to pick up your copy. Litmus Paper is also available online at www.stetpress.co.uk. Contributions welcome at the Festival Info Point or email litmuspaper@stetpress.co.uk.

Sponsored by Disabled Access Tickets are offered at the concessionary price to disabled patrons.

Support workers and/or personal assistants to disabled patrons are admitted free, but please let Box Office know when you book. Provision is made at the Town Hall for wheelchair access (including toilets) and admitting guide dogs. If you are hearing impaired we will try to seat you in an appropriate location; an induction loop is in operation in all venues. Please discuss your requirements with Box Office when you make your booking.

Let Us Know We take pride in developing a quality programme and are always keen to hear your ideas about how we can improve the festival.

Contact If you have any specific comments about any aspect of the Festival, please write to: Sharon Bishop Cheltenham Science Festival Manager 109 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7LS sharon.bishop@cheltenhamfestivals.com We undertake to respond to any correspondence within ten working days.

There will be audience surveys in some events and general festival feedback forms available from the info point. We greatly appreciate all your comments.

If you require a copy of this brochure in large print format, please call 01242 775824

BOOKING FORM

Box Office 01242 227979 Event No

Date

Concession codes U Under 25 S Full-time Student R Registered Unemployed D Registered Disabled SM States of Mind MC Mental Capital and Wellbeing SW Sustainable World G Group Booking Please return to Cheltenham Science Festival Box Office, Town Hall Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1QA

Fax 01242 573902

Time

No of tickets

Concession code

Price

31

Total

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£ Subtotal £

SUPPORT YOUR SCIENCE FESTIVAL

£2

Make a further donation or tick box for the suggested donation

£

Add £1 postage or enclose an SAE Total £

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Title

Address (registered cardholder)

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L’ORÉAL UK AND IRELAND FELLOWSHIPS FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE in partnership with the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO, the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology

CELEBRATING THE BEST FEMALE SCIENTISTS IN THE UK AND IRELAND Dr Araxi Urrutia Odabachian

University of Bath

United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO

Irish National Commission for UNESCO

I think. Therefore I du Vin.

£10.95

ONE COURSE. ONE GREAT GLASS OF W I N E. O N E C O F F E E.

Parabola Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AQ. To book telephone

01242 588 450

info.cheltenham@hotelduvin.com or www.hotelduvin.com

Lunch should be simple. One wholly satisfying course, one well deserved glass of wine and one coffee in one easy going hour for £10.95. Think the trademark bistro taste and quintessential British style of du Vin, squeezed beautifully into one gloriously unrushed lunch hour with time to spare. You may adore it so much that the only course left to you, will be to stay over. Truly blissful times. Simply du Vin.

49 BEDROOMS CHAMPAGNE BAR & BISTRO ALFRESCO & PRIVATE DINING HEALTH DU VIN EVENTS & MEETINGS CIGAR SHACK OUTSTANDING CELLAR sciencefestadvert2008 7/3/08 11:27 am Page 1

Planning a stopover?           –     ﹐  ﹐      ﹒﹒﹒ Use our FREE accommodation booking service either online at www.VisitCheltenham.info or give us a call – or come in to the Tourist Information Centre when you arrive.

VisitCheltenham, 77 Promenade, Cheltenham Mon to Sat: 9.30am–5.15pm Weds: 10am–5.15pm

Tel: 01242 522878 www.VisitCheltenham.info

Email: info@cheltenham.gov.uk

34

acknowledgements

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com

Cheltenham Festivals

Cheltenham Science Festival

Patrons

President Dame Judi Dench

Chair Gill Samuels

Our patrons support all four festivals and are essential to maintaining Cheltenham Festivals as a world class organisation. Without them we would be unable to produce such exciting, inspirational events or to continue our ground breaking education programme.

Vice-Presidents Eleanor Budge Charles Fisher Edward Gillespie Graham Lockwood Sir John Manduell CBE Sir Peter Marychurch KCMG Ion Trewin Chair, Board of Directors Sir Michael McWilliam Chief Executive Donna Renney Director of External Relations Cathrine Brabbin HR & Office Manager Helena Bibby Finance Manager Keith Woodman Executive Assistant Carol Malcolmson Development Office Kathryn Honeywill Claire Coleman

Artistic Directors Kathy Sykes University of Bristol Mark Lythgoe University College London Festival Advisory Group Jim Al-Khalili University of Surrey Quentin Cooper Broadcaster, Presenter of Radio 4’s The Material World Timandra Harkness FameLab Project Director Roger Highfield Science Editor The Daily Telegraph Mark Miodownik King’s College London Vivienne Parry Broadcaster, Journalist Alice Roberts University of Bristol Junior Festival Advisor Molly O’Neill Consultant Director Elaine Snell Festival Manager Sharon Bishop

Press & Marketing Ian George Amy Hulyer Laura Parker Pete Riley Rory Tufano Emilia Zaperta

Festival Co-ordinator Gina Hodgkinson

Education Philippa Claridge Nicola Tuxworth Rose Wood

Sound Design Clement Rawling MAC Sound

Box Office Manager Sue Davis Brand & Festival Design Tijuana 0117 971 6962 Brand Consultant Howard Milton Auditors Hazelwoods Registered Office 28 Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1RH Registered No. 456573 Charity No. 251765 VAT Registration No. 274184644 Main Switchboard Number 01242 774400

Development Manager Hollie Smith Production Manager Adrian Hensley

National Publicity Sallie Robins 020 7249 4858 The 7th Cheltenham Science Festival is presented by Cheltenham Festivals, a company limited by guarantee.

The Festival would like to thank all the staff at the Town Hall, the festival volunteers and the many other individuals and organisations who make the festival possible.

Photo Credits Animatronic head Peter Menzel/ Science Photo Library Visualise Kiran Ridley Chris Wise Expedition Engineering Destination: Space Dave Robinson Advances in Medical Technology D.Schardt (GSI) Surfing the Solar System ESO Maggie Aderin Robert Taylor Nicky Hambleton-Jones Liam Duke

For more information about becoming a patron, please contact Kathryn Honeywill 01242 264136 kathryn.honeywill@cheltenhamfestivals.com Life Patron Charles & Denise Fisher Graham & Eileen Lockwood Platinum Patron Peter & Anne Bond Mr & Mrs Michael Cronk Marianne Hinton Howard & Jay Milton Gold Patron Erica Austin Jack & Dora Black Eleanor Budge Clive Coates & Ann Murray Michael & Felicia Crystal Wallace & Morag Dobbin Lord & Lady Hoffmann Elizabeth Jacobs Jeremy & Anne Lodwick Penelope Lomax Sir Peter & Lady Marychurch Sir Michael & Lady McWilliam The Helena Oldacre Trust Esther & Peter Smedvig Nick & Kai Spencer Meredithe Stuart-Smith Janet Wedge Steve & Eugenia Winwood Peter & Alison Yiangou Festival Patron Mark & Maria Bentley Stephen & Victoria Bond Jonathan & Daphne Carr Robert Cawthorne & Catherine White Bombie Clark Christopher Dreyfus Viscount Esher James Fleming Kate Fleming Huw & Nicki Gwynn-Jones Stephen Hodge Anthony Hoffman & Dr Christine Facer Hoffman Richard & Peta Hoyle Simon & Emma Keswick Mark McKergow & Jenny Clarke Professor Angela Newing Andrew & Sheila North Robert Padgett Jonathon Porritt Sue Ratcliffe & Callum Wardle Patricia Routledge CBE Lavinia Sidgwick Jonathan & Gail Taylor Professor Lord Winston Anne Wood Corporate Patron HSBC Willans

Visiting the festival

Associate Sponsors

CHELTENHAM

35

Hig h St reet

A435

Sponsors & Supporters

2

Imperi

al Lan

e Oriel Road

Imperial Gardens

Imp

eria

l Sq.

College Road

Mont pellie r Stre Mon et tpell ier W alk

1

Bath Road

St Georges Road

St re et

Bat hR oad

Prom enad e Rege nt St reet

Hi gh

Montpellier Gardens

Montpellier Terrace

Sandfo

rd

3 Andover Road

Thirlestain

Park Place

Suffolk Road

Venues 1 Town Hall & Info Point 2 Waitrose Food and Home GL50 3QW 3 Bacon Theatre at Dean Close School GL51 6HE Full maps of Cheltenham are available from the Tourist InformationarkCentre The P

Travelling to Cheltenham

By Train National train information line 08457 484950 The Town Hall is a short bus or taxi ride from the station.

Single event and in-kind sponsors

Biosciences Federation British Pharmacological Society Chorion Daphne Jackson Trust MRG Systems Ltd Roche Diagnostics Ltd science made simple Spirax Sarco The Science Museum Whatman plc Corporate Membership

The Daffodil Glide Media Marketing Lypiatt House Hotel Sign Solutions SpaPR Taylor Brothers Tijuana

By Bus National bus information line 08717 818181 For local bus information, call Traveline 0871 200 2233 Cheltenham Coach Station is in the centre of town and is well-served by local and national bus routes.

By Car Cheltenham is situated 43 miles north of Bristol, 47 miles south of Birmingham, close to junction 11 of the M5, and 41 miles west of Oxford on the A40.

Taxi Service 01242 580580 Festival Parking Several public car parks are within walking distance, including the Regent Arcade car park (accessible from Regent Street), plus on-street parking on Imperial Square, free after 6pm.

Food and Drink The Town Hall buffet, serving food and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, will be open 9.30am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9pm. The festival cafĂŠ in the ExperiTent will also be serving drinks and snacks throughout the day.

Info Point To learn more about Cheltenham Festivals, get ideas about what events to see or find out more about visiting Cheltenham, please visit the Info Point in the Town Hall foyer during the festival.

Festival feedback forms will also be available.

At a glance No

Date

Time

Event

Book online cheltenhamfestivals.com School & Family Events

Pg

School Events SS1 10am SS2 10am SS3 12pm SS4 12pm SS5 2pm SE1-5 10am–3pm

Fire, Ice and Air Snakes on Stage Snakes on Stage 20 Wow! Inventions and Discoveries Primeval Slime Up, Up and Away 21

Computer Whizz: The Best is Yet to Come Robotic World The Caffeine Kick Epigenetics: Ghosts in Your Genes 12 Clocking On Sustainable World John Beddington Future Cars Science Café: Best of the Fest L’Oréal Ladies’ Day Astrobiology Beautiful Beings Food for Thought Destination: Space 13 Arabic Science Time Team How the Zebra got its Stripes Tight Corsets whilst reading French Novels: The Vibrator

School Events SS6 10am SS7 10am SS8 12pm SS9 12.30pm SS10 2pm SE6-10 10am–3pm

Fast Forward The Supercool Show The Science of Formula One Monsters of the Laboratory The Teenage Brain Chemical Clocks

10am 12pm 2pm 2.30pm 4pm 4pm 4.30pm 5pm 6.15pm 6.30pm 7pm 7pm 8.45pm 9pm 9pm

States of Mind Hypnosis States of Mind Sleeping and Dreaming Sustainable World Sustainable China States of Mind Unconciousness 14 States of Mind Conciousness The Prince and the Rainforests Advances in Medical Technology Science Café Mind Reader The Right to Die Visualise: The Beauty of Science 15 Sustainable World Jonathon Porritt: Too Many People?

Slam the Atom Not Rocket Science Ben Goldacre: Bad Science

School Events SS11 10am SS12 10am SS13 12pm SS14 12pm SS15 2pm SE11–15 10am–3pm

From Stew to Poo! The Secret of the Winning Streak On your Marks...Get Set...Gold!

21 When is a Gas not a Gas? We Are What We Eat! Body Builders

Family Event S46

Visualise: The Beauty of Science

S48 S49 S50 S52 S53 S51 S54 S55 S56 Sat S57 7 June S58 S59 S60 S64 S61 S62 S65 S63

10am 12pm 1.15pm 2pm 2.30pm 2.45pm 4pm 4pm 4.30pm 4.45pm 6pm 6pm 6.30pm 6.45pm 8.30pm 8.45pm 9pm 9pm

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

Stories from Stats Workshop: So you want to be a Brain Surgeon?

In the Shadow of the Moon Psycho-Geography Workshop: So you want to be a Brain Surgeon?

Sustainable World David King: The Hot Topic Learning from Other Planets Image of a Troubled Mind Science Café: Best of the Fest Martin Rees: Our Earth, The Big Bang and Beyond Earth: The Power of the Planet Strange Fruit: The Journey of the Human Race FameLab International Good Vibrations Mark Watson: Crap at the Environment Love and Other Viruses Ig Nobel Cabaret

S66 S67 S68 S69 S70 S71 Sun S72 8 June S73 S78 S74 S75 S76 S77

10.15am 12pm 2pm 2.15pm 3.30pm 4pm 4pm 4.15pm 5.45pm 5.45pm 6pm 7pm 8.15pm

Mental Capital and wellbeing Your Well-tuned Brain Mental Capital and wellbeing Dyslexia Mental Capital and wellbeing Dyscalculia Climate Engineering 18 Science Café: How was it for you?

Steven Pinker & A C Grayling Living with Nuclear The Normality of Crime Serendipitous Science What Makes a Brilliant Mind?

19 Engineering the Gold Call my Scientific Bluff Science Knight

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 Wed S9 4 June S10 S11 S15 S12 S13 S14 S16

10.15am 12pm 2pm 2.15pm 4pm 4.15pm 4.30pm 5pm 6pm 6.30pm 6.30pm 7pm 8.30pm 8.30pm 9pm 9pm

From Blueprint to Building The Secret World of Abuse The Moral Maze 100 Years of British Aviation The Kingdom of Infinite Space 99.9% Human The Power of Fusion Science Café: Toxic Truth The God Particle: Is Science the New Religion?

Quantum Dots NHS Funding: NICE or Nasty?

Photography My Hero: Dawkins on Darwin Free Will Shaken or Stirred?

Sperm Warfare

S17 S18 S19 S20 S21 S22 S23 S24 Thurs S25 5 June S26 S27 S31 S28 S29 S30 S32

10.30am 12pm 2pm 2.30pm 4pm 4.15pm 4.30pm 5pm 6pm 6.30pm 6.30pm 7pm 8pm 8.30pm 8.45pm 9pm

S33 S34 S35 S36 S37 S38 S39 Fri S40 6 June S41 S42 S46 S43 S44 S47 S45

Pg

10

11

16

7pm

Family Events SF1 10am SF2 10.30am SF3 12pm SF4 12.30pm SF5 2pm SF6–9 10am–2.30pm SF10–11 10am, 11.15am

Surfing the Solar System Animal Adventure On your Marks...Get Set...Gold!

Light Fantastic Science with the Mr. Men Food Explorers Extreme Eggs Create a Brain

Family Events SF12 10am SF13 10am SF14 10am SF15 12pm SF16 12.15pm SF17 2pm SF18–20 12.15–3.45pm

Dinosaurs of the Sky Jack and Jill: Why so Ill? Living in the Stone Age Richard Hammond: Car Science Ready, Steady, Science Life, the Universe and Everything Whodunit?

20

21

8

8

9

17

9