Litmus 2013 - Issue One

LITMUS

Your guide to all the goings-on at The Times Cheltenham Science Festival

FULL SCIENCAEL FESTIV-UP LINE E INSID

INSIDE THE MIND OF DARA O BRIAIN

FREE WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND DROP-IN EVENTS WIN A TINY COMPUTER FROM RASPBERRY PI FREE FAMILY ACTIVITIES

THE FESTIVAL FOR PEOPLE WHO QUESTION EVERYTHING…

4–9 JUNE 2013 cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

What makes the perfect cuppa?

Could you survive a tsunami?

Is gin just the tonic?

Is man-flu make believe?

Can an act of Parliament cure cancer? @cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

The Science Team at the British Library is pleased to support Litmus, The Times Cheltenham Science Festival newspaper. bl.uk/science

GET THE LATEST NEWS...

4

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

@cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

Science in the Gardens

14

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

25 Donated to Cheltenham Festivals?

6

27 14 What happens when the oil runs out?

6

Dara O Briain

9

What makes the perfect cuppa?

17 Why are Chemists lonely at parties?

27 Win a tiny computer from Raspberry Pi

18 A cheeky Pimms? But you’re breastfeeding...

28 The Times Cheltenham Science Festival programme at a glance

10

21

LA PARABOTRE ARTS CEN

TEL ’S HO QUEEN

30

21 A Jazz Festival retrospective 30 Festival maps

10 The march of Curiosity

13 Could you survive a tsunami?

22 Inspiring science from the British Library

32 Free Festival activities

3

ALL THE FUN OF THE FESTIVAL

4

From circus skills workshops and Police dog demos to stargazing and realistic surgery simulations; the free events, workshops and activities at the Science Festival in Imperial Square prove that you don’t have to be a scientist to get involved!

You can really get those grey cells working during the week of the Festival with daily free ‘Science Question Time’ sessions, where scientists, journalists from The Times and the Festival team will be discussing the biggest debates, newest discoveries and memorable Festival moments. At the weekend there will be more free events to enjoy; including an evening of stargazing with the Cotswold Astronomical Society, and simulated operating theatre sessions, where pioneering surgeons will be demonstrating a new cutting edge surgical tool, and inviting you to have your say about how this is implemented in the real world.

There will be a lot for just grown-ups too, including a showcase of the latest technology and cutting-edge research in The Times Area 42 from Friday, and a chance to join in the debate in The Times Talking Point where speakers and Festival-goers can get to grips with the subjects of the day.

Between 11am and 4pm during the weekend of the Festival, the outdoor arena in Imperial Gardens will come to life with a schedule of demos, workshops and live experiments. You can see Gloucestershire Police Dogs in action, be entertained by the science buskers and wowed by circus skills workshops and live interactive experiments

Throughout the week (4 – 9 June) there will be an exciting selection of Festival zones to explore for free. Children and adults will love the Discover Zone, the EDF Energy Zone, the GE Pavilion and the BBC Science Zone; all places where they can immerse themselves in interactive experiments and technology.

performed by Festival favourites. Children can get involved too with even more handson activities including face painting, arts and crafts and solar viewing.

And if all that activity is too much, The Times Café is on-site; the perfect place to relax with a cup of tea and a slice of cake!

See the map on page 30 and the listings on the back cover for more information on all the free activities on-site during the Festival.

5

...it’s a tremendous pleasure for once to be surrounded not by other people who also bluff, but by people who actually know what they’re talking about.

6

GUEST DIRECTOR OF THE TIMES CHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL

DARA O BRIAIN

Dara O Briain, the comedian, presenter and theoretical physics graduate, talks about his childhood love of maths, meeting Stephen Hawking and getting angry about video games…

On meeting Stephen Hawking…

I met Stephen Hawking once, and spoke to his daughter afterwards at the same event, who said how awkward it was for him that people didn’t ever know what to say to him and they were just really gushing. And I went, “Oh” because I’d just spent all my time saying (puts on gushing voice) “Aah – that was an amazing book, and it had an enormous effect on my life”, and you know, just ran away.

So it wouldn’t go down as one of the great meetings of minds: the guy who just gushed and then ran away!

There’s no other medium like it, you’ve never read a book, where it stops and it asks you questions and you have to earn the right to unlock the rest of the book, but video games habitually do this. My only contribution to the industry is getting angry about this and saying you’ve got to find a way to get past that bit: but I’d hate to be a malevolent influence in dumbing down the industry!

I think there’s a lot of good science there not just in terms of the computer science but in terms of the psychology of it.

On the Science Festival…

On maths…

School of Hard Sums EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 4.15 – 5.15pm, Wednesday 5 June Peter Higgs in Conversation with Dara O Briain EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 8.30 – 9.30pm, Wednesday 5 June Coding the Game EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 6.15 – 7.15pm, Thursday 6 June Dara O Briain’s Science Club EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 8.30 – 9.30pm, Thursday 6 June

It’s getting your teeth into a problem as much as anything else. I love looking at a problem. I think maths is most interesting if you put the topic in a different way. I did come to the Science Festival once before, and I thought it was sorely lacking in some hard core maths! It needed more equations, so I’ve shifted the entire focus of it to Peter Higgs, obscure bosons and The School of Hard Sums…

On video games…

Could I design one? It’s not my kind of creativity, but I do recognise a good bit of storytelling when I see it. I did a long rant that’s become very well known in the industry about how they’re the only medium where you have to earn the right to see the rest of the product: you have to be good enough to move onto the next level.

I’m very fond of being around people who actually know things about things. I work professionally in the field of bluffing and making things up and it’s a tremendous pleasure for once to be surrounded not by other people who also bluff, but by people who actually know what they’re talking about.

On family…

I’d love to bring my own family to a Science Festival, though they’re a little small now.

We’ve got to the teaching models of organs, things where you can take all the organs out and put them back in again, there’s a number of them lying about and a lot of that kind of stuff around. It’s going to be a very nerdy house! My last birthday was space themed, you know, with astronomy and stuff. They’re not going to miss this stuff: it’s going to be one of those kinds of houses.

7

Su Offe nd r e ay, nd Ju s ne 16

Try us for three months with our half-price summer sale For as little as £3 a week – instead of £6 – you can enjoy The Classic Pack, giving you the newspapers every day and a wealth of digital content, including unlimited access to our websites and smartphone app.

Take a three-month trial and join over 330,000 people who are already enjoying the benefits of a subscription.

The Digital Pack

WAS £4 A

NOW

WEEK

£2

Stay connected and let the latest news come to you wherever you are, by tablet, phone and web.

The WAS The Classic £6 A Classic Pack WEEK Pack

WAS NOW £6 A

£3 WEEK

Take time out with the paper every day. The Classic Pack saves you money and gives you exclusive membership benefits.

Newspapers 7 days a week

Tablet editions 7 days a week Unlimited access to both websites Smartphone app Times+ membership

Unlimited access to both websites Newspapers 7 days a week Smartphone app to both Unlimited access websites Times+ membership

Smartphone app Times+ membership

Call 0800 056 7536 and quote ‘cheltenham2013’

The Ultimate Pack

WAS £8 A

NOW

WEEK

£4

Choose how and where you read your news with The Ultimate Pack, giving you the best of Classic and Digital with news across all platforms.

Newspapers 7 days a week

Tablet editions 7 days a week Unlimited access to both websites Smartphone app Times+ membership

Go online to sign up at timespacks.com/cheltenham2013

Trial Offer Terms: Minimum 3 month contract applies to half price trial offer, thereafter a minimum 52 week contract applies at full pack price, unless cancelled. The savings calculation stated is relevant to the specified pack trial offer price only, and is based upon saving made per week against separately purchasing relevant newspapers at cover price and equivalent digital benefits at full price purchased from thetimes.co.uk.Terms and Conditions: 1. Available to UK residents (excluding Channel Islands) aged 18 or over, except for digital only subscriptions which are available worldwide (TNL reserves the right to exclude certain territories from time to time). 2. Introductory minimum trial period of up to three months may apply to new customers only (see selected trial offer for minimum period, price and details), and thereafter will automatically continue into a minimum 52 week contract at full pack price, unless cancelled. 3. Except during a trial period (if applicable), all subscription packs have a minimum 52 week contract period (“Initial Period”) and such contract automatically continues thereafter, unless cancelled (please see cancellation information below). 4. Prices quoted for monthly Direct Debit (DD for UK residents only). Additional charges apply to credit card payments. 5. Where relevant, currency conversion values may fluctuate and conversion fees may be charged by the customer’s bank. 6. Special, trial or other types of offers may apply from time to time (see stated offer for details), subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Special, trial or other types of offers are not available to existing subscribers. 7. TNL reserves the right to change the weekly/monthly subscription price and/or benefits with 30 days’ notice and affected customers may terminate their subscription within such notice period. 8. Additional terms and conditions must be accepted prior to use of digital part of subscription and/or Times + (Times+ is only available to UK residents and is not available on the “Web Pack” (apart from the “Web Pack with Times+”)) and/or crosswordclub.co.uk (if applicable to your subscription), please see mytimesplus.co.uk, thetimes.co.uk, and crosswordclub.co.uk. All subscriptions are subject to English law and jurisdiction. 9. Subscription holiday only applies to subscriptions which include print newspapers and is a pro-rated equivalent to 5 weeks newspaper holiday allowance (excluding customers who receive home delivery from their newsagent). 10. Holiday allowance is not available on any trial period. 11. Holiday allowance applies to each 52 week period (excluding any trial period), starting on the subscription start date. 12. Allowance is paid as a credit to your account. 13. To use allowance, 14 days’ notice must be given to TNL customer services and vouchers must be returned within 28 days. 14. Unused allowance can’t be carried forward or refunded in any circumstances. 15. Home delivery (which carries additional charges) may be available in London on subscriptions which include print newspapers. 16. Home delivery requires sufficient access to premises (as deemed by TNL). 17. Home delivery can be cancelled at any time by TNL. 18. Any stated home delivery offer (if applicable) relates to the home delivery service charge 8 only and not the subscription price. 19. Your subscription is with Times Newspapers Limited (“TNL”). Cancellation information: 20. Customers wishing to cancel during an introductory trial period may give notice any time during such period not to expire before the end of the minimum trial period by calling TNL customer services. 21. Except during a trial period, to cancel call TNL customer services: (i) within first 7 days of start date of Initial Period (i.e. subscription start date); or (ii) giving 15 days’ notice not to expire before end of Initial Period; or if after Initial Period (iii) in the case of digital only subscriptions or home delivery (provided by TNL) customers by giving 15 days’ notice not to expire before the customer’s next billing payment date, or in the case of voucher customers by giving 15 days’ notice not to expire before end of the then current voucher booklet.

BUY TICKETS AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094

WHAT MAKES...

THE PERFECT CUPPA?

Simon Hill, tea buyer from Taylors of Harrogate, gives his top tips for the perfect brew.

Tea leaves or tea bags?

Milk first or last, or not at all?

If I have time then leaves and in a pot. However when in a rush a tea bag in a mug. Whole leaf gives a very different taste to tea bags. It’s slightly more delicate and not so strong.

Entirely on personal preference. If you put the milk in first you can judge the strength, however milk in last has a different taste and appearance.

Should the teapot be warmed?

Should the whole leaves be used or just the tips?

Always, use some of the water from the kettle just before it boils.

The tips are where all the flavour and goodness are. However to only pluck the tips is very time consuming and expensive. Hence why tea estates aim to pluck two new leaves and a bud. When selecting a tea, look for a good tip content to show good quality (In Darjeeling these appear quite silvery, in Assam they are golden).

What’s the optimum brewing time?

For black tea anything between 3-5 minutes depending how strong you like tea. Green teas three minutes maximum and white tea slightly less. For Green teas don’t use the water straight after it’s boiled as it can scorch the leaves. For White teas allow the water to cool down further. Ideally around 80˚C.

Should it be served in china?

I think tea does taste better from a china cup but a large mug of tea can be quite comforting.

How many teabags per person?

Always one for each and one for the pot.

How many cups of tea do you drink a day?

I can taste up to 200 cups of tea a day, but will actually drink about 8. People are always amazed that after a day at work I come home and have a cup of tea.

The Science of Tea Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall, 8.30 – 10pm, Friday 7 June

9

Graeme McAulay

The march of curiosity has a long and fascinating way to go yet‌

10

THE MARCH OF

CURIOSITY

Astrobiologist Dr Lewis Dartnell speculates about what the Mars Curiosity mission could mean for future space exploration and the search for life in the universe.

NASA’s latest venture to the red planet, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), is of course far better known by its more evocative moniker, Curiosity. And there has certainly been a flurry of excitement surrounding this six-wheel-drive, nuclear-powered, laserwielding, SUV-sized giant of an investigative robot.

From the nail-biting ‘seven minutes of terror’ during its fully-automated, audacious descent and landing beneath the unique sky crane, to the endearing self-portrait snapped from its outstretched robotic arm, Curiosity has captured all of our imaginations. And the ground-breaking scientific discoveries are rolling in as well. In March, the MSL team announced to the world the evidence for ancient martian water once spilling across Gale crater; water that could have been “drinkable”.

But I think the important thing to remember is that, as with most space probes, the Curiosity mission is about the slow burn. Systematic scientific investigation, especially when via the proxy of a mechanical robot, is a tortuously slow and steady process. And it will take months for Curiosity to trundle to its principle target, the foot of the towering Mount Sharp, even though it is by far the speediest rover we’ve ever sent to Mars.

The one discovery during this mission that I am really rooting for though and, as far as I’m concerned is Curiosity’s raison d’être on Mars, will hopefully be the identification of organic molecules – the chemical building blocks of all life as we know it. Curiosity isn’t the first of our robotic explorers to be equipped for sniffing out organics, but it is by

far the most capable, and has touched down in an exquisitely promising site that we now know once had flowing rivers.

Organic chemistry is a critical prerequisite for Mars ever having any hope of developing its own native organisms, and so will be a paramount breakthrough in my field of science: astrobiology and the search for life beyond the Earth.

as our solar system formed these became incorporated into comets and asteroids, with many raining down onto both Earth and Mars throughout the history of the planets.

Discovering organic chemistry on Mars will only be the first step. The second, and trickier, stage will be in demonstrating if those organics molecules have come from martian biochemistry, or simply delivered

But the key point here is that even detecting organics on Mars doesn’t necessarily mean martians. The presence of these sorts of molecules is an essential requirement for allowing life to develop, but you can still get them in the total absence of biology. We know that many kinds of organics are synthesized by ‘astrochemistry’ in deep space – amino acids, sugars, fatty compounds for making cell membranes, and even nucleobases, the building blocks ofDNA. And

from the dark depths of outer space.

Mars Science Laboratory promises great revelations, but the march of curiosity has a long and fascinating way to go yet, and our own European rover, ExoMars, will take up the baton when it launches in 2018.

Mars Curiosity: The Nasa Rover EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 4–5pm, Sunday 9 June

11

Extraordinary everyday Workshops and Free Have-a-Go Healthcare Science Zone Celebrate the exciting science & cutting-edge technology in use at Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal Hospitals NHS experts will astonish you with the incredible skills they use every day.

Come along to the Free Have-a-Go Healthcare Science Zone – for all the family.

You won’t miss the giant inflatable colon or the superhuman Operation Game.

Saturday 8 June & Sunday 9 June 2013

In partnership with

9.30am – 4pm Sandford Education Centre, Keynsham Road, Cheltenham (opposite the Lido Car Park)

Come and have a go at…

Workshops (ticket required)

Have-A-Go Healthcare Science Zone

Small groups will get ‘hands on’ time with senior specialists…

Stroll in the ‘marketplace’ of specialists and try your hand at…

Intricate Operations Three 30-minute workshops looking at: Vocal Chord Surgery; Care of Special Care Babies; Eye Surgery

No More Scalpels

• Ageing – in an instant

FRE FAM E SCIENILY ZONECE

Three 30-minute workshops looking at: Heart procedures; Keyhole Knee Surgery; An endoscopists view inside the body

• Photography of the retina

Emergency Trauma

• The truth behind health scare headlines

Three 30-minute workshops looking at: Inside the Emergency Room; Surgery inside blood vessels; 3D tour of the heart and brain

Workshop Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) available from the Science Festival Box Office Tel 0844 880 8094 or visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/science

12

• Virtual ear surgery

• 3D printing for medical devices • Surgical Instruments Unveiled • Cutting-edge ultrasound • Telehealthcare • Communication aids • Mood monitoring

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094

BUY TICKETS AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE

COULD YOU SURVIVE A TSUNAMI?

British Geological Survey scientist, Professor David Tappin, asks what the latest scientific developments mean for our survival chances.

Tsunamis are one of the most dangerous of natural hazards. They rarely occur but when they do they can be catastrophic, as with the recent events in the Indian Ocean in 2004 and Japan in 2011, when almost 250,000 people died. But how do scientists study these devastating waves? And more importantly what would you do if you were face to face with a giant wall of water?

Fortunately, over the past 20 years our understanding of tsunamis has greatly improved because there have been so many catastrophic events. From these recent tsunamis, we now know that a great earthquake and tsunami may take place at many more places than we previously thought, specifically along the borders of continents where there are convergent margins. More sophisticated digital technologies allow us to record earthquakes, so we better understand not only how they form, but how the ground moves when the earthquake strikes. In addition we can record these features very quickly, analyse them and when earthquakes strike, have a good idea when there is a

danger from a tsunami and effectively warn people so they can evacuate to safety.

Another advance has been to better understand where tsunamis occur, their size and how often they strike. On land, we do this by using the sediment that tsunamis lay down when they flood the coast. This information can help us identify areas at risk. At sea we can use new methods of mapping the seabed that were not available 20 years ago.

So, we still cannot predict when tsunamis will occur, or their size, but we do have a better understanding of their possible general location. Also the massive loss of lives has led to the establishment of tsunami warning systems in all the oceans of the world. There are still problems in warning when the tsunami is generated from an earthquake, landslide or volcano close to the coast, but on coasts farther away, there is now adequate time to warn people of the impending danger and save many lives.

When a warning is issued it is a prerequisite that training has been given to threatened communities on what to do. Where

there is high ground nearby, signs indicate evacuation route-ways. If the land is very low, such as on a coastal plain, some buildings may be specially identified as safe havens. The main thing is for people to get to safety as soon as possible. If people know the warning signs of an approaching tsunami and know what to do to escape, then hopefully coming face to face with wall of water will not happen; you will be watching (with others) in awe of an amazing natural disaster, but from a safe distance and high above any dangerous wave.

Many have seen the film, ‘The Impossible’ and this is as real as it gets, and we need to avoid this happening again.

When Disaster Strikes Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham 5 – 6pm, Thursday 6 June Tsunami Survival EDF Energy Arena, Imperial Square 10 – 11am, Sunday 9 June

FAMIL EVENTY

13

flickr.bairdphotos.com

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE OIL RUNS OUT? Science Festival regular Quentin Cooper ponders one of the 21st Century’s biggest questions.

One question which comes up repeatedly is what happens when the oil runs out, or in fact, will the oil run out? Now it’s a fossil fuel so if we keep using it, it’s finite, so we will run out of reserves. It might be a century, it might be less it might be more, we don’t know, but it is an exhaustible supply.

Now there are alternatives out there.

Electric cars go back to the 1800s, the early days of motoring. We forget that the first mass produced automobile, the 1908 Model T Ford was a multi-fuel car - it could run off kerosene and ethanol, it wasn’t just designed

14

to run off gasoline.

So we’re seeing more and more of these hybrid cars. I think by the last calculation there are something like 30 million multi-fuel vehicles in the world, and that includes everything from electric cars to the odd weird one that runs off human waste.

Now I’m not suggesting that cars powered by human waste are the future, or solar panels necessarily, but I do think we’ll find alternatives out there, and along the way we’ll find ways to reduce our consumption to make the oil that is there last a bit longer.

QUESTION EVERYTHING @THE TIMES CHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL “The important thing is not to stop questioning” Albert Einstein

IS THERE LIFE OUT THERE IN THE UNIVERSE? DO MEN AND WOMEN THINK DIFFERENTLY? WILL WE FIND A CURE FOR CANCER? From the everyday to the extraordinary, from the mundane to the ridiculous, the Science Festival is all about asking questions. This year, we’re celebrating the unknown and inviting you to Question Everything.

In the run up to the Festival, we’ll be talking to eminent scientists and big thinkers, asking for their top questions in the fields of science and technology.

Do you have a science question that you’d love to know the answer to?

We want to hear from you!

Ask us your science questions and look out for our Twitter Q&A sessions with top scientists and speakers from the Science Festival: @cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

15

20-21 July n O e Com day Sun £5 Save

RAF Fairford Under 16s go FREE

The World’s Greatest Airshow

Book now at airtattoo.com 16

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

@cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

Moyan Brenn via Flickr

GET THE LATEST NEWS...

WHY ARE CHEMISTS LONELY AT PARTIES?

Dr Julia Percival, a chemist at the University of Surrey, asks why chemistry is such a conversation killer.

Something happens to scientists, and I suspect this probably happens more to chemists and physicists than other flavours of scientist, in that people find what we do intimidating. The dreaded party conversation goes like this…

“So…what do you do?”

“I’m a chemist, I teach at the University of Surrey”

people off before they can find out all the really cool stuff?

I don’t know the answer to that – maybe it’s that in chemistry you can’t actually see what you are doing, everything is inferred from something else. Maybe it’s the calculations with unimaginable numbers to calculate values that have no apparent meaning or the propensity for things to catch fire with little or no input from you? Whatever it is it seems to be working, at least for the people I talk to at parties.

“Oh… I was awful at chemistry at school”

So how do we demystify chemistry?

Cue the embarrassed silence followed by the distancing shuffle.

This seems to be a universal opinion – I’ve talked to people I think of as mega-brains in other fields who claim to have been terrible at chemistry at school. I wasn’t exactly a model student either – I managed to ignite a heatproof mat at one point and a washing machine at another. So where are we going wrong?

Why is this subject so scary that it puts many

I’m a crafter in my spare time – I make things from other things, and this is where the idea for The Perovskite Project came from. I wanted to take something so un-scary your grandmother could do it blindfolded and combine it with my favourite part of chemistry – crystallography. So the idea to knit and crochet a giant version of a crystal structure was born.

It’s not the first time this has been done, there are other knitted science projects – not

least the “Knit a Neuron” project a few years ago but this one was a chemistry one and that made it special. I wanted anyone to join in, scientists, non-scientists, knitters, crocheters, and none-of -the-above-ers. I want chemistry to feel, for a while at least, like something everyone can have a go at.

You don’t have to understand the intricacies of the symmetry to appreciate how a diamond sparkles and you don’t have to be a scientist to contribute to a science project.

I think everyone has their own inner scientist and by taking part in The Perovskite Project or any other outreach science I hope they can let their inner Einstein out to play for a day and learn something new about the world.

Find patterns, background science and other interesting bits and pieces at surrey.ac.uk/chemistry/perovskite or find us on Facebook.

Visit the Knitting Corner in the Waterstones Book Tent during the Festival to get involved.

17

The issue of drinking during pregnancy and breastfeeding is one that can leave even the lightest drinker riddled with guilt and uncertainty.

18

A CHEEKY PIMMS?

BUT YOU’RE BREASTFEEDING...

New Scientist’s Linda Geddes tackles the thorny issue of drinking while breastfeeding.

A woman sits down in a pub with a large glass of wine and a newborn baby, then pulls up her top and starts breastfeeding. Would you do a double-take? A few years ago, I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday (with baby in tow), when a hairy man in his fifties wearing a grubby t-shirt strode up to me and told me that I was disgusting. I’m not sure if he was referring to my swollen breasts, the fact that I was drinking, or that I’d deigned to take a baby into his local pub.

The issue of drinking during pregnancy and breastfeeding is one that can leave even the lightest drinker riddled with guilt and uncertainty.

I’ll refer any pregnant readers to a column I wrote for New Scientist about alcohol during pregnancy, but to summarize: it’s a massive grey area, though you’d be hard-pushed to argue that the odd glass of wine is going to cause any harm to your developing baby.

As for anyone who, like me, has just completed nine months of near-abstinence and is relishing being “permitted” to drink again (but worries that alcoholic wine-shakes might not be so good for their breastfed baby) I have both good news and bad.

The bad news is that alcohol does get into breast milk in roughly the same quantities as it gets into your blood. So if you’re drunk, then yes, that breast milk is boozy too.

The good news is that: 1. It isn’t stored there, meaning that as your blood alcohol levels fall, so too does the amount of alcohol in your breast milk.

There’s no point in pumping and dumping your milk the morning after a night out because you’re worried about its alcohol content (unless it was a REALLY big night out).

As a rough guide, it takes about an hour

to process and eliminate one unit of alcohol from your body – although it also takes a little while for alcohol to get into your bloodstream after having a drink.

This means that drinking your wine while breastfeeding is probably slightly better than drinking it afterwards as there’s more time to eliminate it before the next feed. It also means that if you have three glasses of wine (approximately 6 units) it will take 6-7 hours before your milk will be alcoholfree again.

some milk the morning before, or turn to my “emergency formula” supply.

My current dilemma is that I have a friend’s birthday to go to tomorrow night, and a 12-week-old who is going through a growth spurt — there’s literally no excess milk to express. So if you see me in the pub with a glass in one hand and a baby in the other, please raise your glass in solidarity.

2. If you do decide to breastfeed after a few drinks, the amount of alcohol that gets into your baby’s bloodstream will be significantly less than the amount in your blood, because it has to pass through their digestive system first.

So is it wrong to breastfeed if your milk is ever so slightly boozy? In the short-term, drinking alcohol dampens your “let-down” response, meaning your baby gets less milk to drink and will try and compensate by feeding more frequently until it catches up (not great if you have a hangover).

Alcoholic milk also seems to affect the quality of babies’ sleep: they fall asleep faster, but sleep for less time overall.

However, there is no strong evidence that drinking while breastfeeding has any longterm health impact on babies’ development – though there is a surprising paucity of research in this area, so no-one really knows for sure. Personally, I don’t worry about breastfeeding if I’ve had a glass of wine or two with dinner, but I would feel uncomfortable about feeding my baby if I’d had a lot to drink, as it stands to reason that very boozy milk probably doesn’t do little babies any good. If I’m planning a big night out, I’ll either express

Linda Geddes’ myth-busting ing book Bumpology has the answers to anything you’ve ever wondered about having a baby, and is a fascinating companion for every expectant mother and father.

Bumpology: The Truth About Pregnancy Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall 1.15 – 2.15pm, Friday 7 June

19

Your career in global health The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public and global health.

The School is now accepting applications for our postgraduate programmes in all areas of public and population health, epidemiology, control of infectious diseases and tropical medicine, including London-based and distance-learning programmes, and professional short courses. Our staff, students and alumni work in over 100 countries worldwide.

Find out more: www.lshtm.ac.uk/study Email study@lshtm.ac.uk

Courtesy Sangath, India

Improving health worldwide 20

www.lshtm.ac.uk

BUY TICKETS AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094

FREE STAGE

JOE STILGOE

GREGORY PORTER

LAURA MVULA

A CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL RETROSPECTIVE The sunshine arrived just in time for last month’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which sprang to life in Montpellier Gardens over the May bank holiday weekend.

“It was wondrous... It was just extraordinary!”

Moira Stewart on BBC Radio 2

“The hum of pleasure as the crowd left was constant in this corner of the Cotswolds” The Independent “With jazz-rock roaring from one marquee, old-school swing slinking around another and art-music brainteasers muttering and wriggling at the next, a stroll around the Cheltenham jazz festival provides a pretty good jazz sampler” The Guardian dian di DON’T MIS THE 2 S CHELTEN0H14 JAZZ FEST AM IVAL 30 AP R – 5 MAY

TOP TWEETS Lynette Dakin @LynetteDakin Had the best week as #cheltjazzfest Thanks to all the lovely people at @cheltfestivals and to the sun for shining on us all week Cheltenham Under @CheltenhamUnder Ever said something like “At times like this I’m proud to live in Cheltenham”? It’ll probably be just after a @cheltfestivals event.

Paul Oz @PaulOz Flipping awesome weekend @cheltfestivals. @liannelahavas simply stunning. Topped off with @TheDaffodil awesomeness and Van the Man. Wow. The Noisettes @noisettes5 @cheltfestivals @noisettes experienced A Triumphant hour and a half of musical joy.

Henry Westons Cider @Henry_Westons We’ve just seen all the backstage performances from the incredible jazz artists who played @cheltfestivals this weekend! Wow! #cheltjazzfest

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe om/subscr @cheltfestivals # cheltjazzfest tjazzfest facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals amfestiva

21

22

INSPIRING

SCIENCE

What happens when science, comedy, art and philosophy collide? The Times Cheltenham Science Festival? Absolutely — and also the sorts of things that happen within the walls of the British Library. Whilst we are the national library of the UK and, as you would expect, provide access to a vast amount of information, we are also a cultural institution keen to promote science as part of our culture in the broadest possible sense.

We in the Library’s Science Team see the library as a space for ideas, where scientists, policymakers and the public can come together for inspiration and engage in debate. This was a key feature of our inaugural science festival, Inspiring Science, launched in March 2013. With a strap-line – Experiment with Ideas – the season brought to life scientific concepts and issues through a series of events that gave the public the opportunity to talk directly to scientists like Nigel Shadbolt, Chris Rapley and David Nutt about their work, motivations and inspiration, in a fun and accessible way.

Inspiring Science showcased the scientific aspects of what we do all across the Library, highlighting the cross-cutting nature of science, and its interplay with the arts, humanities and social sciences. For example, Full Frontal Nerdity, featuring Festival of the Spoken Nerd, introduced the actual science that is done within the Library by the physicists and chemists in our conservation team. Encounters between Art and Science, a collaborative exhibition with the Central Saint Martins Art and Science MA Programme, highlighted the science embedded across the Library collections, from oral histories to maps to stamps through a series of thought-proving artworks. In collaboration with Europe PubMed central, we promoted the importance of communicating science to a public audience with a writing competition, Access to Understanding. The competition

encouraged early career researchers to write jargon-free summaries of the latest biomedical research findings.

Aiming to inform, entertain and inspire in equal measure, we look forward to Inspiring Science 2014. This will coincide with our upcoming exhibition, Beautiful Science, which will take visitors on a journey

Clearly, we have a complementary vision to that of Cheltenham Festivals in drawing attention to the ways that science can contribute to our culture and society.

As such, we are delighted to be supporting the Cheltenham Science Festival to produce Litmus. We hope you enjoy the festival—and look forward to welcoming you to the Library,

BLIND SUMMIT THEATRE PERFORMS AT YOUR CREATIVE BRAIN: THE NEUROSCIENCE OF IMAGINATION

through the history of data visualisation in science. Linking classic diagrams from the Library’s science collections to cutting-edge visualisations created by today’s top scientists and designers, Beautiful Science will aim to showcase the beauty and power of scientific data.

whether in person or online. Allan Sudlow, Anna Kinsey, Johanna Kieniewicz and Stuart Smith from the Library’s science team will be at the Science Festival – see you there!

bl.uk/science @ScienceBL 23

GET THE LATEST NEWS...

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

@cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Becoming a Cheltenham Festivals Member means that you can enjoy all kinds of special benefits at all four of the Cheltenham Festivals. So whether you enjoy jazz, science, music or literature or indeed are interested in all, you’ll find a host of special privileges. There’s a 10% discount on tickets with Full Membership, advance booking for you and a guest and special Members’ offers around the Festivals. Join us as a Member, and you’ll receive exclusive Members’ news, invitations to Festival previews and a year round package of offers to enjoy across Cheltenham. Memberships are available for individuals, couples and families and start at £15.

MEMBERS SAVE 5% IN TH WATERSTOEN BOOK TENTES

DISCOVER MORE: cheltenhamfestivals.com/membership 0844 880 8094 or visit Regent Arcade Box Office Terms and conditions apply

Did you know that CFTicketing also sells tickets for other events and that all our profits go to Cheltenham Festivals?

For more info on buying or selling other tickets through us please visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/cfticketing Keep an eye out at the festival for our new range of merchandise – wonderful gifts that support the festivals 24

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094

BUY TICKETS AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE

DONATED TO CHELTENHAM FESTIVALS? YOU’VE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

Richard Smith, Head of Individual Giving at Cheltenham Festivals reveals how much difference donations make to the Festivals.

If you’ve been to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival over the last few years you’ll have noticed a big change. In just three years the Festival has doubled in size, with almost 40,000 people engaging with Science in 2012.

This amazing growth has only been possible with the support of our sponsors and donors, allowing us to create a wide variety of events, free activities and experiences that inspire and challenge our audiences and speakers alike.

We hope that you share our sense of achievement when you visit the Festival and see first-hand how your gifts help.

Every one of the 6,000 schoolchildren who will be taking part in our education programme at the Festival has been

subsidised by our supporters.

Our free activity areas such as The Times Area 42 and the Discover Zone give everyone the opportunity to interact and get hands-on with science. 14,000 people showed their appreciation and interest by visiting last year.

And over 200 events involving both internationally recognised speakers and emerging scientists would simply not be possible without our sponsors and donors.

We set out to achieve this each year at every Festival, with high quality events featuring leading and up-and-coming speakers and performers, free activities and education projects at the very core of our work.

We are extremely grateful for the gifts and donations we receive from our supporters. If you are booking tickets for any of our Festivals over the coming months then please do consider making a donation; it really does make an impact on our work and your support is greatly appreciated.

To find out more about getting involved and supporting the Festivals contact Richard Smith on 01242 537262, email him at richard.smith@ cheltenhamfestivals.com or visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/support-us

25

CHELTENHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

@cheltfestivals #cheltmusicfest

Twelve days of sublime and surprising musical adventures

FILM MUSIC WITH MARK KERMODE

SUPERB CHAMBER MUSIC IN PITTVILLE PUMP ROOM

FAMILY CONCERTS WITH JAMES MAYHEW

ORCHESTRAL EXPANSE IN SPECTACULAR VENUES

AND MUCH MORE

3-14 JULY THE TIMES CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM

FULL PROGRAM M COMING E SOON

See the first confirmed names at cheltenhamfestivals.com Members book from 27 August - join online today.

26

Registered Charity no. 251765

WIN A TINY COMPUTER FROM RASPBERRY PI

The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video.

We’ve teamed up with the Raspberry Pi team to give you the chance to win a fantastic prize… a Raspberry Pi unit, complete with case, SD card and power supply. They are also throwing in other goodies including a t-shirt.

For full terms and conditions, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/terms-conditions

HOW TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning the Raspberry Pi, just find all the Raspberry Pi raspberries that are hidden throughout Litmus, and email science@cheltenhamfestivals.com and tell us how many there are by Monday 10 June.

HINT This is what you’re looking for…

HOW DO THE FESTIVALS MAKE YOU FEEL? It might sound an obvious question – but it’s an area about which surprisingly little is known.

Cheltenham Festivals, in association with Plymouth and Warwick universities, is at the forefront of exciting new Qualia research, designed to better understand audiences and how you experience the Festivals.

Look out for special projects run across each of the four Festivals: from smile recognition at the Jazz Festival to interactive pods at Music. And at Science? As you might expect, we’re taking a more technical approach, with the pilot of a brand new Qualia mobile phone app to help you make the most of the Festival.

For latest news, findings and updates, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com 27

PLAN YOUR PERFECT FESTIVAL 10am

11am

12noon

1pm

2pm

3pm

TUESDAY 4 JUNE S001 DEMENTIA CARE AND TOUCHSCREEN TECHNOLOGY

PILLAR

S005 DESI LIGHT A

S003 THE RISE OF RESISTANT BACTERIA S004 THE ORIGINS OF SOCIETY S002 MY SISTER ROSALIND FRANKLIN

ARENA CRUCIBLE

S006 HORMON

HELIX EUREKA

WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE PILLAR

S022 MENOPAUSE: TO HRT OR NOT TO HRT?

S020 STROKE

ARENA

S021 ICE AGE

CRUCIBLE

S023 LIVE FROM THE UNIVERSE VIA JODRELL BANK

S024 S H

HELIX EUREKA

THURSDAY 6 JUNE S038 WATER: IT’S ALL THAT MATTERS

PILLAR

S039 LIQUID CRYSTALS: FROM BUTTERFLIES TO iPADS S041 JAMES WATSON AND MATT RIDLEY

ARENA

S042 THE TRUT

S040 EXOPLANET EXPLORERS

CRUCIBLE HELIX EUREKA PAC

FRIDAY 7 JUNE S060 THE EIGHT GREAT TECHNOLOGIES

PILLAR ARENA

S068 REGE MEDI

S064 BUMPOLOGY: THE TRUTH ABOUT PREGNANCY S062 WILL HUMANS EVOLVE IN THE FUTURE?

S065 QUANTUM BIOLOGY

CRUCIBLE

S066 OF MICE AND MEN S059 SCIENCE FROM BENEATH THE SEA

HELIX

S063 IS THE AGE OF SILICON OVER?

S067 INTENSIVE CARE WITH KEVIN FONG

EUREKA PAC QUEEN’S

S061 FARMING FOR THE FUTURE?

X-TENT

SATURDAY 8 JUNE S092 CONTROLLING THE MIND & SLICING THE BODY WITH LIGHT

PILLAR ARENA CRUCIBLE

PAC

SF10 PERIODIC SUCCESS

S089 FLEXIBLE INHERITANCE SF03 CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

SEC

S104 AGEING FAST AND SLOW S100 BANG GOES THE FIREWORK

S097 HORIZON

SF08 STEFAN GATES AND ANDREA SELLA

HELIX EUREKA

S099 THE WEB AND US

SF07 TALON-SPOTTING

SF04 CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

S102 THE HAZARDS OF LIFE

S098 IS MY IMMUNE SYSTEM NORMAL? SF05 CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

S101 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRC SF06 CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

S086-087 INTRICATE OPERATIONS / S090-091 NO MORE SCALPELS? / S095-096 EMERGENCY TRAUMA (CHECK LISTING FOR EXACT TIMES) S088 CLIMATE: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION

SF09 DAREDEVIL LABS: EVEREST

SA

S103 ALBERT EINSTEIN: RELATIVITIVELY SPEAKING

S093 RASPBERRY Pi WORKSHOP

S094 RASPBERRY Pi WORKSHOP SF11 FIRE: FRIEND OR FOE?

CLC

SUNDAY 9 JUNE S126 PAIN: WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?

PILLAR ARENA CRUCIBLE

SF17 TSUNAMI SURVIVAL

S123 MIND CONTROLLING MICROBES

EUREKA

SF13 DINOSAUR DIG

SF18 SCIENCE MISADVENTURES S130 BRAIN ENHANCING DRUGS: WOULD YOU? SF14 DINOSAUR DIG

S133 CALL MY GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BLUFF S132 JAMES GLEICK: THE INFORMATION SF20 DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? SF19 THE BIG BOOK OF NATURAL HISTORY

S129 A DOG NOSE BEST

S121 ANIMAL DIARIES

HELIX

S131 THE AGEING IMMUNE SYSTEM

SF15 DINOSAUR DIG

SF16 DINOSAUR DIG

S119-120 INTRICATE OPERATIONS / S124-125 NO MORE SCALPELS? / S127-128 EMERGENCY TRAUMA (CHECK LISTING FOR EXACT TIMES)

SEC X-TENT

10am

11am

12noon

1pm

2pm

3pm

VENUES ARENA = EDF ENERGY ARENA CRUCIBLE = WINTON CRUCIBLE EUREKA = EUREKA TENT X-TENT = EXPERITENT PILLAR = TOWN HALL PILLAR ROOM PAC = PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

28

BUY TICKETS AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE

BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 4pm

5pm

6pm

7pm

8pm

9pm

S011 INSIDE THE CRIMINAL MIND S014 MAURICE SAATCHI’S MEDICAL INNOVATION BILL

GNING FOR AND LIFE S007 AFRICA: EYE TO EYE

S019 BOTANY OF GIN S018 MARTIN REES: SURVIVING THE CENTURY S015 JOCELYN BELL BURNELL: IN PURSUIT OF PULSARS S017 THE MIND OF AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION

S010 STRANGE ICE

NE FIGHT CLUB S008 BRAGGING ABOUT CRYSTALLOGRAPHY S009 SCIENCE QUESTION TIME

S013 THE SECRETS OF CREATIVE PEOPLE

S016 MURDER MYSTERY

S012 JUST SO SCIENCE

S027 IS IT A BOY OR A GIRL?

S035 DO YOU JUDGE A BOOK

BY ITS COVER? S034 PETER HIGGS AND DARA O BRIAIN

S031 SOLAR SUPERSTORMS

S025 DARA O BRIAIN: SCHOOL OF HARD SUMS S026 HOMES THAT CUT CARBON AND COSTS SCIENTIFIC IDEAS AND UMAN DECISIONS S028 DONOR CONCEPTION: A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER?

S030 FIT TO RULE: HOW ROYAL ILLNESS CHANGED HISTORY SF01 AS IF BY MAGIC

S036 BADGER CULLING: THE DEBATE

S029 MEAT AND POTATOES OR TWO VEG?

S033 THE FUTURE OF BRITAIN’S FORESTS S032 SCIENCE QUESTION TIME

S037 THE WAR ON VIRUSES S057 SCIENCE, THE ECONOMY AND YOU S055 DARA O BRIAIN’S SCIENCE CLUB

S048 THE SCIENCE AND ART OF PATIENT CARE

TH ABOUT FLU?

S044 THE HIGGS BOSON: FROM THEORY TO REALITY S043 SLEEPLESS IN CHELTENHAM S045 DIABETES, HEART ATTACKS AND FLU S047 SCIENCE QUESTION TIME S046 WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

S049 CODING THE GAME S050 FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL SEMI-FINAL

S051 FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL SEMI-FINAL S056 THE SCIENTIST AND THE LANDSCAPE DESIGNER S058 STEM CELLS AND SAFER MEDICINES

S052 FLY-SIZED SPIES S053 GENES, CELLS AND BRAINS S054 THE COLOUR OF MUSIC

S072 CAN WE TRUST CLIMATE MODELS?

ENERATIVE ICINE S070 PARTICLE PHYSICS: AN INTRODUCTION S069 HOW SAFE IS YOUR WIFI? S071 SCIENCE QUESTION TIME

10pm

S080 SCIENCE OF TEA S076 FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL FINAL

S084 ENERGY S082 THE UGLY ANIMAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY

S073 THE KUIPER BELT S075 MICHAEL BERKELEY

S081 GREAT COMETS

S074 VIRUS ATTACKS FROM THE SKY

S079 ENERGY HARVESTING

S077 AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS

S083 PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE DOCTOR

S085 STARGAZING

S078 WHO HOLDS THE SCALPEL?

SF02 WORLD OF SURGERY

S109 THINKING WITHOUT WORDS: THE TANGO

S115 SCIENCE BURLESQUE S112 BIRDWATCHING

S105 ANATOMY SCAN: LIVE

S117 STAND-UP MATHS 2013

S113 MICHAEL MOSLEY: THE FAST DIET S111 RASPBERRY Pi: IMAGINARIUM

S108 THINKING WITHOUT WORDS SF12 EXTREME SPORTS IN SPACE

S118 WHAT MAKES INSECTS TICK? S114 EXTREMES

S106 DRAW YOUR ALLERGY

S107 IS THE WEB CHANGING SOCIETY?

S110 THE LIFE OF BRAIN

S144 LAB NOTES: SONGS FROM SCIENCE

S137 LANDGRABBERS S134 MARS CURIOSITY: THE NASA ROVER S135 ARE YOUR MAGISTERIA OVERLAPPING? SF21 THE SCIENCE OF THE INTERNET

S116 SHAKESPEARE’S MEDICINE CABINET

S138 RISE OF THE CONTINENTS S140 THE OVER-AMBITIOUS DEMO CHALLENGE 2013 S139 RICHARD FEYNMAN: NO ORDINARY GENIUS

S145 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INTERESTED

S136 HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?

S142 ETHICS AT THE CUTTING EDGE

4pm

5pm

6pm

7pm

8pm

9pm

SEC = SANDFORD EDUCATION CENTRE CLC = CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE SA = ST ANDREW’S CHURCH QUEEN’S = THE QUEEN’S HOTEL HELIX = MRC HELIX THEATRE

10pm Q FAMILY EVENT

29

FESTIVAL MAP AND FREE ACTIVITIES EDF ENERGY ZONE FREE Every day The POD is EDF Energy’s Education Programme. Come and take part in exciting hands-on activities including trying out being a weather forecaster with the Met Office! jointhepod.org

THE TIMES AREA 42 Interactive science for over 14s Fri 3 – 8pm, Sat 12 – 8pm, Sun 12 – 6pm FREE Get hands-on with some of the most exciting cutting-edge research and technology. cheltenhamfestivals.com/area42

SCIENCE IN THE SQUARE

ART AT THE FESTIVAL FREE As part of the COS13 art trail, artists from Cheltenham Open Studios will be exhibiting in the Town Hall’s Spa Well (near to the front entrance). Come along to see some local work!

BOX OFFICE AND INFO POINT

TOWN HALL PILLAR ROOM

Open in Imperial Gardens every day of the Festival from 9.30am until the start of the last event of the day.

LA PARABNOTRE E ARTS C

DISCOVER ZONE

THE TIMES CAFE EUREKA TENT

THE TIMES TALKING POINT

DISCOVER ZONE Interactive science for all ages 10am – 5pm daily FREE

BOX OFFICE

Open every day of the Festival, the Discover Zone gives children the opportunity to get hands-on with interactive technology and experiments.

EDF ENERGY ZONE

MRC HELIX THEATRE

BBC SCIENCE ZONE

GE PAVILION

EXPERITENT

WINTON CRUCIBLE WATERSTONES BOOK TENT

THE TIMES AREA 42

cheltenhamfestivals.com/ discoverzone Messier-Bugatti-Dowty

The perfect place to relax between events with a cup of tea and a slice of cake!

Meet the local team who will be rowing across the Atlantic this December, and find out all about the competition they are running to design an experiment for the boat. They’ll be next to the EDF Energy Arena all week.

Visit rowingtheatlantic2013.com/ schools for details

30

Suitable for all ages Sat & Sun from 11am

Interactive activities for all the Family in Imperial Gardens.

THE TIMES TALKING POINT ROWING THE ATLANTIC

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

OTEL N’S H QUEE

THE TIMES CAFÉ

An event got you thinking? Continue the debate with the speakers and other audience members at the Talking Point.

Open daily from 9.30 to Festival close.

The Waterstones Book Tent nt stocks a wide range of RS MEMBEEIN science titles and will be V A S OK hosting author signings.

THE BO

TENT

HEAD SQUEEZE The team behind YouTube channel Head Squeeze will be bringing the best of the channel to the Festival, and they’re looking for the questions that you’re dying to know the answer to! You’ll find the team around the site wearing trademark Head Squeeze T-shirts. youtube.com/headsqueeze

GET THE LATEST NEWS...

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

KNITTING CORNER Crafters from The Perovskite Project are knitting and crocheting their way to a giant model of the mineral Perovskite! They will be in the Waterstones Book Tent during the Festival so make sure you visit them – you could even have a go yourself! Complete beginners to experienced crafters welcome.

@cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

VENUES AND CAR PARKS

SCIENCE ZONE

3 4

Suitable for all ages FREE Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun

EDF ENERGY ARENA

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

1

6

Meet the production teams responsible for some of your favourite BBC science programmes, explore the content further, get hands-on with science and have the opportunity to quiz their family of expert presenters in an informal setting.

5

Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/ bbc-science-zone for more details on content and sessions.

2

GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL For information on public transport and car parks visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/your-visit

GE PAVILION Suitable for all ages FREE Every day Get to grips with some of GE’s cutting-edge aircraft technology: use computer programming to control aircraft components, inflate a balloon without touching it and see how you fare in a full-sized flight simulator. Plus much more...

SCIENCE EVENTS Our purpose built venues play host to 100s of events throughout the 6 days of the Festival.

There are lots of free events too!

Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/science/ whats-on to browse events.

FINDING OUR VENUES Most events are taking place in Imperial Square (GL50 1QA), and all other venues are within walking distance.

Postcodes 1

Town Hall GL50 1QA

2

Sandford Education Centre GL53 7PY

3

Parabola Arts Centre GL50 3AA

4 Princess Hall, Cheltenham Ladies College GL50 3EP 5

Queen’s Hotel GL50 1NN

6

St Andrew’s Church GL50 1SP

Please be considerate to local residents when parking.

31

SCIENCE IN THE SQUARE 4-9 JUNE FREE FESTIVAL ZONES Discover Zone Town Hall, Daily Interactive technology and experiments for children and adults.

The Times Area 42 Imperial Gardens, Afternoons from Friday Cutting-edge research and technology for over 14s.

BBC Science Zone Imperial Gardens, Thursday – Sunday Exploring content from some of your favourite BBC programmes.

EDF Energy Zone Imperial Gardens, Daily Activities including DIY weather forecasting.

GE Pavilion Imperial Gardens, Daily Cutting-edge aircraft technology including a full-sized flight simulator.

FREE EVENTS Science Question Times Eureka Tent, Imperial Gardens An exploration of the day’s biggest debates and discoveries.

Tues 4 June 4 – 5pm Weds 5 June 7 – 8pm Thurs 6 June 5 – 6pm Fri 7 June 4.30 – 5.30pm The Cutting-Edge – Tomorrow’s Surgery Experitent, Imperial Gardens A demonstration of a new surgical tool with a chance to have your say about its implementation.

Sat 8 and Sun 9 June 10am – 11am 11.30am – 12.30pm 2 – 3pm 3.30 – 4.30pm

THANK YOU We would like to thank everyone who supports Cheltenham Festivals

FREE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Interactive fun, demos and workshops in Imperial Gardens from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/family-fun-day Saturday 8 June Explore evolution, learn about sustainable technology, fight robots, have your face painted, take part in solar viewing and discover interesting facts about food and local wildlife. Plus, enjoy entertainment from science buskers and Thomas Trilby, who will delights us with circus workshops (1-2pm and 3-4pm) Sunday 9 June Explore evolution, learn about sustainable technology, fight robots, explore the 4 elements through arts and crafts, take part in solar viewing and discover interesting facts about food and local wildlife. Plus, see a giant spider puppet wander round the Gardens (11-11.45am & 1.15-2pm) and Gloucestershire Police Dogs in action (3-5pm).

MORE TO LOOK OUT FOR… Knitting Corner Waterstones Book Tent, Imperial Gardens Crafters from The Perovskite Project knit and crochet their way to a giant model of the mineral Perovskite.

Art at the Festival Town Hall (front) An exhibit from Cheltenham Open Studios.

Rowing the Atlantic Imperial Gardens See the boat that a local team will be taking across the Atlantic.

Headsqueeze Imperial Gardens The team behind YouTube channel Headsqueeze bring the best of their channel to the Festival.

The Times Talking Point Imperial Gardens An event got you thinking? Continue the debate with Festival speakers and members of the audience.

The Times Café Imperial Gardens The perfect place to relax between events with a cup of tea!

Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/science-in-the-square for more information.

Partners and supporters of Cheltenham Science Festival The Times, Pfizer, EDF Energy, EPSRC, HP, MRC, Royal Academy of Engineering, Safran, Society of Biology, Wellcome Trust, Winton, BBC, BBSRC, Commercial Group, GE, Imperial College London, University of Hull, The University of Manchester, Spirax Sarco, Swansea University, University of Gloucestershire, UCAS and many more….

cheltenhamfestivals.com/subscribe

@cheltfestivals #cheltscifest

facebook.com/cheltenhamfestivals

Charity no. 251765