BACK TO THE FUTURE AT 30
COMPATABILITY GENE ANTIBIOTICS MATHS OF LOVE
EBOLA
STEVE BACKSHALL
TIME TRAVEL
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
LIFE
SCIENCE FICTION & THE FUTURE
CLIMATE CHANGE
SIX DAYS. MASS EXTINCTIONS
HACKING
BACK TO THE FUTURE
INTERNET OF THINGS
INFINITE CURIOSITY. EINSTEIN
DINOSAURS
GRAVITY
ALICE ROBERTS
THE UNIVERSE DINOSAUR WARS GRAPHENE EVOLUTION
WHAT DO DINOSAURS LOOK LIKE?
BRIAN COX ROSETTA
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS Title Partner
In Association with
Principal Partners
Major Partners
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
FameLab Partner
Festival Partners
WELCOME
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
A warm welcome to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival, our annual celebration of how the world works and how science helps us to understand it. Over the course of six days, we hope to inspire, challenge, surprise and entertain you in equal measure. Join us as we showcase ground-breaking research, debate the big questions and introduce you to some of the world’s greatest thinkers. At this year’s Festival, we explore all things dinosaur – from the mass extinction event that caused their demise and the people who hunt their bones, to how our image of them has changed as research uncovers new and fascinating characteristics – feathers, speed, colours. The centrepiece of our DinoZone will be the 7.4m long skeleton of a Gorgosaurus !
STEVE BACKSHALL: GUEST DIRECTOR
And we’re travelling ‘back to the future’ to talk about the film’s 30th anniversary: we’ll be looking at time travel, why we don’t have flying cars and what science fiction says about the time we live in. We’ve even flown in a DeLorean for a bit of fun! Never shy of a challenge, we explore life and the universe… from antibiotics and childhood bullying to multiverses, MRI scans, quantum technology and Mars – we’re tackling it. At this year’s Festival we have more free and amazing interactive zones than ever before. Tour Doc Brown’s Invention Lab in the Discover Zone, lock eyes with a Triceratops in the DinoZone, fly a plane in the GE Pavilion, land on Mars in the Siemens Curiosity Zone, enjoy a glass of wine and some debate in the University of Warwick What If? Zone and get up close and personal with BBC presenters in the BBC Science Zone.
“A brilliant opportunity to explore everything from giant telescopes to dinosaurs” Steve Backshall Back by popular demand! Guest Director Steve Backshall wows us with more amazing animal stories, and talks about extreme adventures with an alpine climber. And he’s also joining in with the fun in the Variety Night event. We’re so pleased to welcome such a committed Guest Director back to the Festival.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the generous support and dedication of our partners, especially The Times and EDF Energy, our speakers and our army of volunteers. From the under 5s to over 95s, we look forward to welcoming you. No science qualifications required – all you need to bring is your curiosity.
The Science Festival team
LOOK OUT FOR OUR BIG TOPICS!
DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE
LIFE
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EDF Energy is delighted to be the Associate Title Partner of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival Visit us in the EDF Energy Zone in Imperial Gardens, or inside the Discover Zone in the TTown H to find out how we are inspiring the next generation own Hall of scientists, engineers and thinkers. EDF Energy proudly proudly supports: Science Festival Variety Variety Night, Friday 5 June, 8.30pm, EDF Energy Arena sinullatus coreandnos exceri selection officienis quiam GuestMi, Director Steve Backshall a sensational of Festival speakers join forcesfaccus to bring you an evening of inspiration, laughs, surprisespere and spectacular ande laccatior acepror epudae verionsscience entertainment.
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Brian Cox: In Conversation, Saturday 6 June, 12noon, EDF Energy Arena Brian Cox is a particle physicist, retired rock star, and the Royal Society’s newly Orum faccull ectoriam sum ea sit quo voluptas appointed Professor for Public Engagement in Science at Manchester University. Join vid que dit omnihil pa science sim reprat Brian et as he talks about particle physics,laborepudae engaging people with and why the UK needs to aspire to be the best place in the world to do science.
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6/7
FESTIVAL MAP & FREE ACTIVITIES GE PAVILION Free interactive zone Suitable for all ages Open daily 10am-6pm Late opening Wed 3 & Fri 5 June, till 8.15pm
DISCOVER ZONE Free interactive zone Suitable for all ages Open daily 10am-5pm Late opening for adults Fri 5 June, 8-10pm
See page 13 for details
See page 8 for details
[GE logo]
THE GENETICS OF BEING SOCIAL Free activity Town Hall Daily, over 18s only Are you a social butterfly or a wall flower? Take part in the University of Oxford’s research exploring the genetics of being social.
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE Free zone Suitable for all ages Open weekdays 3.30-8.30pm Saturday 10am-8.30pm Sunday 10am-5pm
DINOZONE Free interactive zone Suitable for all ages Open Tues 2 & Weds 3 June 10am-6pm Thurs 4 – Sun 7 June 10am-9pm
See page 12 for details
SCIENCE TRAIL Free activity Suitable for all ages
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE Free interactive zone Suitable for all ages Open Sat 6 & Sun 7 June, 10am-6pm
See page 9 for details
Come face-to-face with prehistoric creatures and discover some fascinating facts about dinosaurs. Collect your quiz sheet from the Waterstones Book Tent in The Times Science Hub.
Free events Suitable for all ages Open Fri 5 – Sun 7 June
BOX OFFICE Open daily until the last event of each day Buy tickets online at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science or call 0844 880 8094.
VIRTUAL ROMAN EXPERIENCE Free activity Suitable for all ages Open Sat 6 & Sun 7 June
See page 11 for details
SCIENCE ZONE
THE TIMES SCIENCE HUB Relax in The Times Café and take part in lively discussion in The Times Talking Point. Book signings will be held in the Waterstones Book Shop.
EARLY YEARS DISCOVER ZONE Free interactive zone St Andrew’s Church Suitable for under 7s Sat 6 June 10am-4pm
BBC presenters and producers from your favourite shows. Full programme online at cheltenhamfestivals.com/bbc-science-zone
Visit our special zone with hands-on activities specifically designed for little ones. Find out more at cheltenhamfestivals.com/earlyyears
EDF ENERGY ZONE Free interactive zone Suitable for all ages Open daily
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Free Suitable for all ages Sat 6 & Sun 7 June from 11am
With a series of fun activities, check out the EDF Energy Zone which hopes to inspire children into science.
Interactive activities for all the family in Imperial Gardens. Find out more at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science-in-thesquare
Experience Chedworth Roman Villa like never before: take control of a chariot, compete against friends and dodge gladiators in this virtual reality race.
THE DELOREAN Open daily Go back to the future and step into Doc Brown’s iconic time machine. Roads? Where you’re going, you don’t need roads.
BIOBLITZ Free activity Suitable for all ages Open daily Meet the Bioblitz team, discover how to explore the wildlife around you and how to get involved with the virtual Bioblitz. Find out more at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science-in-thesquare
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
IMPERIAL SQUARE CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE KITCHENS DANCE STUDIO
TOWN HALL
FOOD & DRINK
DISCOVER ZONE
IMPERIAL SQUARE
PROMENADE
PILLAR ROOM
VIRTUAL ROMAN EXPERIENCE SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE
GE PAVILION
BOX OFFICE EDF ENERGY ZONE DELOREAN
WATERSTONES BOOK SHOP
EDF ENERGY ARENA
BBC SCIENCE ZONE
THE TIMES SCIENCE HUB
THE TIMES CAFÉ & TALKING POINT
HELIX THEATRE
WINTON CRUCIBLE
DINOZONE
EARLY YEARS DISCOVER ZONE, ST ANDREW'S CHURCH
IMPERIAL SQUARE
8/9
FREE INTERACTIVE ZONE
DISCOVER ZONE Travel back to the future (and past) in Doc Brown’s Invention Lab, just like MartyMcFly! If that doesn’t get your DeLorean revving, navigate a remote controlled car through an overhead maze, power a rocket, have a go at coding and cryptography or explore the mysteries of light and futuristic materials. Filled with exciting hands-on activities, kids and grown-ups alike will have tons of fun in the Discover Zone.
ADULTS Don’t miss the special late opening of the Discover Zone on 5 June. Avoid the crowds, enjoy a drink and try the activities for yourselves — without the kids. FRIDAY 5 JUNE, 8-10PM OVER 18s ONLY FREE ENTRY The bar will be open during this event
TOWN HALL, MAIN HALL OPENING TIMES 10AM-5PM DAILY, 2-7 JUNE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES FREE ENTRY
In association with Messier-Bugatti-Dowty is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of aircraft landing and braking systems. We are proud to support The Times Cheltenham Science Festival and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers as lead partner for the Discover Zone.
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
FREE INTERACTIVE ZONE
Have you ever touched a real dinosaur bone? Here’s your chance! Get up close and personal with the 7.4 metre long skeleton of a Gorgosaurus (pictured) and stare into the eye (sockets) of a Triceratops skull. See what the dinosaurs would have seen and explore our prehistoric landscape under a canopy of stars. Get hands-on creating an asteroid impact on earth and find out what dinosaurs have to do with extraterrestrial activity. OPENING TIMES 2-3 JUNE: 10AM-6PM 4-7 JUNE: 10AM-9PM SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES FREE ENTRY
DINO ZONE
With support from
The Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and The University of Manchester are proud to be working with Cheltenham Festivals on this year’s new and highly collaborative DinoZone. STFC is one of Europe’s largest multi-disciplinary research organisations, with the goal of delivering World Class Research, Innovation and Skills for the benefit of the United Kingdom and its people – and for the world more broadly. The University of Manchester harnesses a breadth of research activity that is unrivalled in the UK, working across disciplines and beyond the University to connect the brightest minds and find innovative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.
Winton are proud to support some of the top speakers at this year’s Science Festival – with statistician David Hand, astronomer Martin Rees and Monica Grady of the Rosetta project.
Rosetta: To Catch a Comet ‘It’s landed - I’ve waited years for this!’ Amongst excitement and tears, Monica Grady’s reaction to the Philae lander touching down on comet 67P/Churyumov– Gerasimenko was clearly one of sheer joy and elation: ten years after its launch and many more since the idea for the project was first conceived. But it’s not all about the lander – Rosetta continues on, following the comet as it journeys closer to the sun… Monica Grady and Matt Taylor share their lifetimes’ work, commitment, hope and the ultimate career high: Thurs 4 June, 6pm, S059
Martin Rees: From Mars to the Multiverse Lord Martin Rees is one of the world’s most eminent astronomers and the current Astronomer Royal. He’s also one of our key thinkers on the future of humanity, and has been instrumental in galvanising interest and stimulating debate about artificial intelligence, asteroid impacts and the responsibility of scientists in a swiftly advancing technological age. Lord Rees joins us to discuss the astonishing developments in astronomy and cosmology, from Mars to the multiverse: Fri 5 June, 8.30pm, S097
David Hand: The Improbability Principle On 12 March 1951, a new character made his debut in the British comic The Beano. His name was Dennis the Menace, a boy who got into all sorts of scrapes. A few hours later on 12 March 1951, on the other side of the Atlantic, a new newspaper comic strip appeared, also featuring Dennis the Menace. But these Dennis the Menaces were different. Their creators had no idea of each other’s work: surely the most extraordinary of coincidences. With the improbability principle, David Hand shows us that such things are to be expected: Sun 7 June, 2.30pm, S131
Winton is a global investment management business, founded on the firm belief in the application of science and technology to the world of investment management. Winton sponsors numerous organisations that support learning, development and careers in science and engineering, and is a long-standing Principal Partner of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival. wintoncapital.com
10/11
FREE INTERACTIVE ZONE
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE Welcome to the red planet! Get ready to land at the Siemens Curiosity Zone, where you can explore the mysteries of Mars. From meteorites to solar gazing, nothing is off-limits. Come and get up close to a huge half-scale model of Curiosity, the robotic rover currently exploring the surface of Mars; and spark your own curiosity by getting hands-on with materials that could help you survive a mission in space! OPENING TIMES SAT 6 & SUN 7 JUNE, 10AM-6PM FREE ENTRY Also, don’t miss the following workshops and events taking place in the Siemens Curiosity Zone: How Hackers Hack, Tues 2 June, 7pm, S012 & 8.30pm, S013 Mathematical Origami, Weds 3 June, 6.45pm, S039 & 8.15pm, S040 Virtual Reality: Make Your Own, Thurs 4 June, 6pm, S063 & 7.30pm, S064 Close-Up Science, Fri 5 June, 6.15pm, S088 & 7.45pm, S089
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT CURIOSITY HAS DISCOVERED SO FAR? COME ALONG TO: A CURIOSITY FOR MARS, SUN 7 JUNE, 6PM, S138
The Curiosity Project is a three-year engagement programme by Siemens, broadening existing investment to bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to life in the UK. Find out more at siemens.co.uk/curiosity-project Siemens was established in the UK over 170 years ago and now employs about 13,760 people in the UK with sites across the country. Siemens finds answers to the big questions of our time, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation.
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE FREE
IDEAS CAFÉ FREE ENTRY
The University of Warwick is delighted to be a Principal Partner of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival in our 50th anniversary year.
The future isn’t as far away as you think... For this, and many other intriguing thoughts, visit the University of Warwick What If? Zone in Imperial Gardens. We’re holding a series of drop-in sessions throughout the afternoons and evenings. Join us to discover a different theme every day, from big data to robotics, psychology to hacking. And, with four Ideas Café evening events taking on subjects in-depth, you can expect to leave enlightened. Have you ever thought about exploring hidden structures within crystals? Want to know why Warwick scientists are turning our world’s megacities into experimental labs? Wonder if the cyber-world can truly keep our children safe? If you’re interested in finding out the answers about the future, come along to Cheltenham and ask yourself: “What if?”
Join us over complimentary wine and nibbles to meet the experts and discover more in our Ideas Café events.
Ideas Café Events What if… cyberbullying is an overrated phenomenon? with Dieter Wolke, Wed 3 June, 6.45pm, S041 What if… data science can solve our future? with Mark Girolami, Thurs 4 June, 7.30pm, S067 What if... the future were as clear as crystallography? Fri 5 June, 7.15pm, S093 What if… robots are our future? Sat 6 June, 7.30pm, S119 OPENING TIMES 2-5 JUNE: 3.30-8.30PM 6 JUNE: 10AM–8.30PM 7 JUNE: 10AM–5PM FREE ENTRY
12/13 FREE INTERACTIVE ZONE
GE PAVILION Join GE and get to grips with some cuttingedge technology. Fly and land a jet airplane in GE Aviation’s flight simulator; see how GE uses non-destructive testing in engine blades and propellers; step into the world of Life Science and Medical Diagnostics with GE Healthcare; and investigate deep-sea drilling with GE Oil & Gas. Plus much more! OPENING TIMES 10AM-6PM DAILY, 2-7 JUNE LATE NIGHT OPENING: WED 3 & FRI 5 JUNE, 10AM-8.15PM SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES FREE GE proudly supports: Air Traffic Control, Tue 2 June, 6pm, S008 What makes a good air traffic controller? And what technology is involved? Over-Ambitious Demo Challenge 2015, Sat 6 June, 8.45pm, S123 The Festival’s infamous annual contest for the most spectacular show-stopping experiment!
FREE ARDUINO WORKSHOPS Wed 3 & Fri 5 June Come along to our free workshops where you can join software engineers to get started in programming.
GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com
14/15
TUESDAY 2 JUNE
PETE LARSON: T. REX APPEAL 6.30-7.30PM, S009 Palaeontologist Peter Larson and his team discovered Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever found. After Sue’s discovery came FBI agents, court cases and a jail sentence. But beyond the controversy, Pete’s scientific accomplishments are rewriting how we see T. rex. In March, Senators voted unanimously for a Presidential Pardon for Larson’s services to palaeontology. Also don’t miss Pete in Dinosaur Hunters, Fri 5 June, 2.15pm, S075.
WILL GREGORY’S BRIEF HISTORY OF SYNTHS 7.45-9.15PM, S015 In the world of music, can anything better illustrate our Back to the Future theme than the sound of the synthesizer? Back in the 60s and 70s, these hi-tech boxes of tricks were the sound of the future and had a revolutionary effect on pop and rock music. Now, these analogue miracles of electronics are back in fashion and Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory is best placed to show us why.
DON’T MISS
DROPPING THE BOMB: WORLDCHANGING DECISIONS 8.30-9.45PM, S018
HOW TO TELL THE WEATHER 4.30-5.30pm, S004 DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
The world over, Brits are infamous for talking about the weather: it’s a hot topic of conversation for us. But with hazy predictions of what the weather will be tomorrow, it’s not surprising that forecasters can get a chilly reception! Attempting to burn off the fog of confusion, we’ve invited physicist Tim Palmer and weather forecaster Michael Fish. This event is not to be mist!
Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed three days apart. As a public science festival, it’s our duty to ask difficult questions of science and scientists, so 70 years after atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, we wonder: is the relationship between science, politics and social responsibility different now? From The Times’ archive, John Heffernan, star of the RSC’s Oppenheimer, reads the extraordinary commentary and letters from the days surrounding the bombings.
TUESDAY 2 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
HEALTH
TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS WINTON CRUCIBLE 4.30-5.30PM, £7
ENTERTAINMENT
A NOTE ON PERFUME TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 4-5PM, £8
“You are never fully dressed without perfume.” — C. JoyBell C.
PSYCHOLOGY
WHAT IS HAPPINESS? TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 2-3PM, £7
S003
S001
Happiness is a feeling we all know. But what makes us feel happy? What happens inside our grey matter to stop us feeling blue? Uncovering what is going on inside our heads with psychology and neuroscience, science journalist Stefan Klein explores how our brains make us happy and what we can do to make ourselves happier.
S005
One in four people will suffer from mental health disorder during their lifetime. And yet the treatment for depression, anxiety, stress and many others is shrouded in mystery — with tales of biased studies funded by drug companies and trials hidden from the public eye. With stories from his personal experiences, David Adam joins psychiatrist Guy Goodwin as they discuss the facts behind therapies and drug-based treatments.
Perfumer John Stephen is owner and ‘nose’ of Cotswold Perfumery and has over 45 years’ experience creating fine fragrances for the niche market. He discusses the science of scents, how the nose works, how perfumery has changed over time and how perfume ‘notes’ work together to create the finest of fragrances.
Fragrance tester strips will be used in this event Audi’s self-driving RS7
HEALTH
TECHNOLOGY
OUR FRIENDLY BACTERIA
SELF-DRIVING CARS
WINTON CRUCIBLE 2.30-3.30PM, £7
HELIX THEATRE 4.30-5.30PM, £7
S002
You may be horrified to learn that your body contains ten times as many bacteria cells as human cells. But without them your skin and immune system suffer, and your teeth could fall out! Immunologist Fiona Powrie, microbiologist Lindsay Hall and Adam Hart explore this vital bacterial ecosystem, and what happens when things go wrong: from allergies to cancer.
ENVIRONMENT
HOW TO TELL THE WEATHER EDF ENERGY ARENA 4.30-5.30PM, £8
S004
You can be certain about death and taxes, but the weather? Even the best forecasters can get it wrong, and not only a little wrong — just ask Michael Fish. He joins physicist Tim Palmer as they explore what goes into weather prediction and just how likely it is to rain on Tuesday…
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
S006
Do robots really make better drivers? With official UK trials going on, driverless cars aren’t science fiction any more. While they might not drink and drive or fall asleep at the wheel, how are they able to make crucial decisions on our roads? Ergonomist Mark Young and robotics scientist Paul Newman discuss how machines and people drive differently.
16/17
TUESDAY 2 JUNE HEALTH
HEALTH
IMMUNOTHERAPY AND CANCER TREATMENT
THE COMPATIBILITY GENE
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 5.30-6.30PM, £7
HELIX THEATRE 6.30-7.30PM, £8
S007
Many of today’s cancer treatments have horrible side effects and survival rates can be scarily low. But what if we could use our own immune systems to fight cancer? Immunologist David Morgan, pathologist Gareth Thomas and paediatric oncologist Juliet Gray look at the new research in immunotherapy and its impact on cancer treatment.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
DINOSAURS
PETE LARSON: T. REX APPEAL EDF ENERGY ARENA 6.30-7.30PM, £10
S009
Worth $8.36 million and 90% complete, Sue is the most famous T. rex in the world, and her excavator, Pete Larson, is possibly the most infamous dinosaur hunter after the American Government jailed him. Join us for an interview with Pete to dig deeper into the science of fossil hunting and controversial old bones.
S011
A tiny cluster of our 25,000 genes are disproportionately involved in defining who we are: how we fight disease, how our brains are wired and perhaps even how compatible we are with other people. Immunologist Daniel M. Davis tells the remarkable sixty-year story of these genes’ discovery and traces this true scientific revolution in our understanding of our relationships, health and individuality.
WORKSHOP
HOW HACKERS HACK SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE 7-8PM 8.30-9.30PM £12
S012 S013
A workshop for beginners and technophobes, Paul Crichard and his team show you how easy and yet how dangerous cyber-attacks can be, arming you with the knowledge to protect your computers and devices.
TECHNOLOGY
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 6-7PM, £7
S008
The comings and goings, landings and takeoffs of the 6,000 planes daily frequenting UK airspace are monitored by a network of air traffic controllers across the country: but what exactly does this job entail? Join Global-ATS Chief Instructor Adam Mullins as he talks about what makes a good air traffic controller and the technology involved in one of the most high-pressure jobs in the world.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 7.45-8.45PM, FREE
HISTORY
BRUNO PONTECORVO: PHYSICIST OR SPY? WINTON CRUCIBLE 6.30-7.30PM, £9
S010
Bruno Pontecorvo’s work on the Manhattan Project helped usher in the nuclear age. He was known to all as a brilliant physicist and potential candidate for the Nobel Prize. So why, on the cusp of greatness, would he defect to the wrong side of the Iron Curtain and vanish for years? Frank Close sheds light on the genius’s life and work, and reveals Kim Philby’s role in the disappearance.
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
S014
Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
TUESDAY 2 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
HISTORY
DROPPING THE BOMB: WORLD-CHANGING DECISIONS
ENTERTAINMENT
WILL GREGORY’S BRIEF HISTORY OF SYNTHS
EDF ENERGY ARENA 8.30-9.45PM, £10
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 7.45-9.15PM S015 £12
Do you know your oscillators from your envelope generators, your patch panels from your ring modulators? Goldfrapp’s composer-keyboardist Will Gregory has a vast collection of antique, analogue synthesizers and loves coaxing wonderful and wonderfully strange sounds out of them. Showcasing a few of his favourites on stage, this interactive, try-them-yourselves event is guaranteed to make you fall in love with the world of Moogs, Korgs and their more alternative cousins. Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
MATHS
THE MATHEMATICS OF LOVE HELIX THEATRE 8.30-9.30PM, £10
S017
What’s the chance of finding love? What’s the probability it will last? Love’s rituals, like most things in life, are full of patterns. They twist, turn, warp and evolve: and so to help define the difficulties of dating, we can turn to mathematics. Find out the best way to quantify affection with mathematician Hannah Fry, as she applies herself to solve the love equation.
S018
Seventy years on from the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, physicist Frank Close and policy expert Ken Young explore our attitude towards social responsibility and how our response to threat has been forever shaped by the events of 1945. Actor John Heffernan, star of acclaimed RSC production Oppenheimer, brings to life the voices of the day with extraordinary material from The Times’ archive.
LIFE
HOW TO FREEZE A HUMAN WINTON CRUCIBLE 8.30-9.30PM, £7
S016
Surviving prolonged sub-zero temperatures sounds like the stuff of science fiction; but some frogs and toads can survive being frozen solid — and some fish even have their own biological antifreeze. With lots of cool demonstrations, chemist Matthew Gibson shows that while we probably won't all be frozen heads in jars for a while, this technology can help save lives today.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
FOOD & DRINK
WINE, CHEESE AND MICROBES TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 8.30-10PM, £15
S019
Wine and cheese are a classic combination and each have been enjoyed for thousands of years. But did you know that microbes are the main agents that turn grapes into wine and milk into cheese? Microbiologist Anthony Hilton explores the fermentation process while wine expert Geoff Taylor discusses flavours. With tasters of each, say cheese and let’s toast to microbes! Over 18s only
18/19
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
ANNE GLOVER: SCIENCE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA 2-3PM, S023 Anne Glover is the only person to have ever held the position of Chief Scientific Adviser to the European Parliament: the job was scrapped before anyone else could hold the position. We candidly interview Anne about science and politics. Also don’t miss Anne in Space: Is It Worth the Money? Thurs 4 June, 8pm, S069.
WHAT’S UP WITH GRAVITY? 8.30-9.30PM, S047 After so many gravity questions came up in the 2014 Festival, we knew we had to take a closer look at the force. And given that it’s a necessity for our very existence, we were surprised to find out how much we don’t know! That’s why we are talking about gravity with Michael Brooks, looking at what we know and what we still don’t know.
DON’T MISS
HOPE FOR REPAIRING THE SPINE? 6.30-7.30PM, S034 Geoff Raisman and his team developed a cuttingedge technique that has fundamentally changed the way that we see spinal cord injury. Exploring work at the forefront of medical advancement is something we love to bring to the Festival. But we also wanted to ask how research like this is viewed when one day it could make a difference to you, so we invited The Times’ Spinal Column author Melanie Reid for her perspective.
DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
DESIGNING CITIES FOR THE FUTURE 4-5PM, S028 After discovering a podcast about architecture, our eyes have been opened to how much design can and does affect all of our lives: from chairs to street signs to buildings and roads. Rachel Cooper is a designer who has had her eye on the prize all along and joins us to talk about how we’ll design cities of the future to make ourselves healthier and the world a happier place.
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
PSYCHOLOGY
HEALTH
DO WE HAVE FREE WILL?
MINDFULNESS
EDF ENERGY ARENA 2-3PM, £8
WINTON CRUCIBLE 4-5PM, £8
S024
Is free will simply an illusion? Or are you the master of your own fate? Whether or not we control our destiny is an age old debate amongst philosophers, but modern neuroscience has weighed in with its own ideas on the matter. Philosopher Julian Baggini and neuroscientist Patrick Haggard ask: do we have free will?
ENTERTAINMENT
FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL SEMI-FINALS PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE S020 11AM-12.30PM S021 1.30-3PM 4-5.30PM S022 FREE
Can you explain the latest of science and engineering in just three minutes? FameLab, the world’s greatest international science competition, is back to excite and entertain you. Coming from 27 countries, our semi-finalists will battle it out for a place in the FameLab International Final on Thurs 4 June, 8.30pm, S070.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
HOW YOUR LIFE AFFECTS YOUR GENES TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 3-4PM, £7
S025
Everything you have been exposed to over your lifetime, where you grew up, the food you eat, even the toiletries you use: this is your ‘exposome’, and can affect not only your health but perhaps that of your children and children’s children. With environmental health scientist Frank Kelly and biologists Nessa Carey and Hector Keun, discover more about this incredible world of epigenetics, and how life can affect your genes.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
DESIGNING CITIES FOR THE FUTURE BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 4-5PM, £7
S028
Designer Rachel Cooper’s vision for the future is one in which our cities help us make healthier choices, breathe cleaner air and live better lives. She joins us to show how using design principles can help us achieve our future aspirations and the top ten ideas for what makes a liveable city.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
S023
After three years, the European Commission brought an end to the position of Chief Scientific Adviser, held by top scientist Anne Glover. Some might say ‘that’s politics’, but how does this impact the scientific credibility of government? Can policy really be informed by just one person? In this candid interview, Anne discusses if science suffers when it moves into the political arena.
‘Being mindful’ is being more aware of the world around you, embracing all the sensations it has to offer. Mindfulness harnesses this idea to the benefit of your entire mental well-being and has become a technique to help fight stress and depression. Clinical psychologist Linda Blair demonstrates mindfulness, including techniques that you can apply to your dayto-day life.
HEALTH
ANNE GLOVER: SCIENCE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA WINTON CRUCIBLE 2-3PM, £8
S027
CURRENT AFFAIRS PHYSICS
EINSTEIN’S MASTERWORK EDF ENERGY ARENA 4-5PM, £8
S026
Einstein said of his 1915 General Theory of Relativity that it was ‘the most valuable theory of my life’. Despite describing the evolution of the universe, black holes, even the possibility of time travel, we think instead of E=mc2, his lesser theory of 1905, as his masterwork. John Gribbin restores Einstein’s General Theory to its rightful place, exploring why his greatest year was indeed 1915.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
EYES IN THE SKY TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 5-6PM, £8
S029
Today a drone costs little more than a phone. These small flying cameras are transforming filmmaking, aerial crop surveys and emergency response, but they are also controversial. To celebrate and debate their use, the Civil Aviation Authority’s Gerry Corbett joins Thomas Hannen, the Senior Innovations Producer for the BBC: one of the few media organisations with its own drone journalism team.
20/21
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE WORKSHOP
TECHNOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
ARDUINO PROGRAMMING
HACKING THE INTERNET OF THINGS
HUMOUR AND HUMANITY: WHAT'S THE CONNECTION?
GE PAVILION 5.45-6.15PM 6.45-7.15PM 7.45-8.15PM FREE
S030 S031
WINTON CRUCIBLE 6.30-7.30PM, £8
S032
If it’s connected to the internet, it’s vulnerable to cyberattacks. If that’s your computer, you probably have defences in place — but what about if it’s your fridge? Or TV, or even your children’s toys? The Internet of Things allows a revolutionary way of life, but security is lagging behind. Adrian McEwen with cybersecurity experts Sadie Creese and Martyn Ruks explore what you need to know.
If you think that Java is just an island, Python a snake and C++ a grade then perhaps the software engineers at GE can help. Whether you have a basic understanding in programming or don’t know where to start, try a GE workshop for a tutorial in programming an Arduino to control lights and motors.
S035
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 6.30-7.30PM S037 £9
What can humour tell us about being human? Do we learn to be funny or is it something we are born with? Sociologist Sharon Lockyer is joined by comedian Robin Ince, Geoff Rowe of the Leicester Comedy Festival and neuroscientist and laughter expert Sophie Scott to look at the evolution of humour and the dynamic and complex role it plays in our everyday lives.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 6-7PM, FREE
MATHS
BELL RINGING
S033
CHELTENHAM MINSTER, ST MARY’S 6.30-7.45PM, £10
Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event NATURE
HEALTH
YOUR GARDEN BY NIGHT
HOPE FOR REPAIRING THE SPINE? EDF ENERGY ARENA 6.30-7.30PM, £10
HELIX THEATRE 6.30-7.30PM, £8 S034
In October last year Geoff Raisman’s team revealed that they had enabled a paralysed man to walk again. Join Geoff to discuss the incredible stem cell research that has brought hope to so many. Joining via live video, The Times’ Spinal Column author Melanie Reid speaks about her journey, and how waiting for the progress of science is not always a good thing.
From the sombre toll of a single bell to the majesty of a whole peal, bell ringing has been part of English culture for centuries. But did you know that behind this age old tradition there is a whole lot of science? There will be bells-a-ringing when mathematician Rob Sturman and bell historian George Dawson join the ringers of Cheltenham Minster as they uncover the maths and physics behind campanology.
S036
By day, our gardens are a familiar sight with eye-catching flowers and beautiful birds. As night falls, our gardens host a different set of visitors: the plants we know so well by day changing to welcome their nocturnal guests. Plant scientist Heather Whitney discusses pollination and ecologist Adam Hart talks about moths with Vivienne Parry, as they shed light on what goes on after dark in our own back gardens.
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
S038
WORKSHOP
MATHEMATICAL ORIGAMI SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE 6.45-7.45PM 8.15-9.15PM £12
S039 S040
The Japanese art of origami creates breathtaking shapes simply from paper — and it is not only ancient but surprisingly mathematical. Mathematician Katie Steckles demonstrates how to build beautiful paper structures using origami techniques, including her favourite mathematical designs. Join the fold and get hands-on in this origami workshop.
All materials provided and no experience necessary
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
IDEAS CAFÉ
TECHNOLOGY
PHYSICS
WHAT IF... CYBERBULLYING IS AN OVERRATED PHENOMENON?
THE FUTURE OF HEALTH: ETHICS AND PRIVACY
WHAT’S UP WITH GRAVITY?
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 8-9PM, £8
EDF ENERGY ARENA 8.30-9.30PM, £9
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE 6.45-7.45PM, FREE
S041
Cyberbullying makes the headlines every week. Cyber bullies can reach their victims 24 hours every day. But how is cyberbullying different from traditional bullying at school? Does it hurt the same, more or less? Who bullies using e-technology? Does it do more damage than traditional bullying? Discuss the evidence with Dieter Wolke and leading researchers from the University of Warwick over a glass of wine and some nibbles.
S044
Internet of Things technologies — fitness wristbands and smart watches — are moving health from the hospital to the home. But if your watch, thermostat and games console could manage your well-being, how would you feel about being constantly monitored? Engineer Ian Craddock and social scientist Madeleine Murtagh delve into the technology and the ethics, and ask if this is a future of health we can live with.
S047
Gravity affects us in every aspect of our lives but it is far from understood. From Newton and Einstein to Hawking, our greatest minds have struggled to comprehend this mysterious force. Can modern science uncover more about what gravity is and how it works? Join writer and quantum physicist Michael Brooks to find out just what we know and what remains beyond our understanding.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event PSYCHOLOGY
SIBLINGS AND PEERS: MAKING YOUR LIFE A MISERY? HELIX THEATRE 8.30-9.30PM, £9
FOOD & DRINK
WINE, CHAMPAGNE AND MUSIC TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 7.30-8.15PM 8.45-9.30PM £10
You may think that parents have the biggest impact on children’s social and emotional development, but it could be that sibling and school relationships have a much larger part to play. Dieter Wolke looks at how your childhood peers affect your mental and physical well-being, even as an adult.
S042 S043
RORY SUTHERLAND: SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF WINTON CRUCIBLE 8.30-9.30PM, £9
S046
With numerous TED talks and column inches as author of The Spectator’s Wiki Man column, advertising chief and ‘Behavioral Economics Impresario’ Rory Sutherland is one of the most outspoken and creative voices in adland. Join him for a humorous and enlightening look at the world of behavioural economics, neuroscience and ‘nudging’: how small changes can make big differences to our lives, and how everyone can learn from the social sciences.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
ENTERTAINMENT
ROBIN INCE’S REALITY TUNNEL
PSYCHOLOGY
Did you know you can taste with your ears? Or that music has a profound effect on the taste of champagne? Before you put anything into your earholes, listen to wine philosopher Barry Smith as he demonstrates (on you) why what you hear while sipping bubbly can dramatically alter your drinking pleasure. It turns out that if you don’t like the wine, you can just change the music!
Over 18s only
S045
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 8.30-9.30PM S048 £10
Comedian Robin Ince scrutinises the human mind, propaganda, feuds and internet nonsense in an attempt to work out just how much you can trust your instincts. How critically do we really think? Possibly a show about art, possibly a scream against TV, maybe some science too — nothing is certain, except that Robin will energetically release whatever has been sitting and jiggling about in his mind.
22/23
THURSDAY 4 JUNE
CHRIS RAPLEY ON CLIMATE CHANGE 4-5PM, S054 The choices we make today will affect generations to come. Few are more aware of this than climate scientist Chris Rapley, whose play 2071 is set in the year his granddaughter will have reached his age today. Exploring what her life might be like in the wake of continued greenhouse gas emissions, his call for collective action is a powerful reminder that future generations are depending on us.
EBOLA 2-3PM, S051 The Ebola crisis in West Africa has been all over the news, with highprofile cases in the UK and screenings that may be more politically motivated than scientific. Ebola is the virus equivalent of the bogeyman, but we’re keen to show the science behind the headlines. We want to dispel some Ebola myths and talk about why it’s so hard to ‘cure’ any viral infection.
DON’T MISS ROSETTA: TO CATCH A COMET 6-7PM, S059
Rosetta, an epic tale 30 years in the making; this is the sort of thing that makes us proud to be human. After leaving earth 10 years ago, Rosetta is helping to unravel the mysteries of our solar system and perhaps even life itself. We’re waiting to see if Rosetta’s Philae lander comes back to life, so join us to find out more about this historic mission.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TASTE 8.45-10.15PM, S072 DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
We love a science event with a twist and after seeing what Charles Spence can do with a cocktail, we asked for more! He shows us how some foods can deceive us into thinking we are tasting something we are not and has invited a chef friend along to tingle your taste buds, so bon appétit!
THURSDAY 4 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
NATURE
HISTORY
HEALTH
UNDISCOVERED OWLS
MAGNA CARTA
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 12NOON-1PM, £7
HELIX THEATRE 2-3PM, £7
HOW YOUR LIFE AFFECTS YOUR BRAIN
S049
S052
While researching and recording owls in their environment, author Magnus Robb and The Sound Approach team rediscovered a huge fish owl in Turkey and an entirely new species in Oman, by sound alone! Closer to home, they have listened with new ears to more common species, leading to fascinating new insights. Magnus presents the best recordings from a decade-long quest to turn bird watchers into bird listeners.
2015 marks the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta — the original human rights act, and a rallying cry for freedom and civil liberties. Historian Nicholas Vincent discusses what the charter meant at the time; and conservation expert Cordelia Rogerson reveals how Magna Carta has been maintained over the centuries, and what secrets the British Library recently found in its pages...
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
HEALTH
HEINZ WOLFF: INVENTOR AND INNOVATOR S050
In addition to being the man who coined the term ‘bioengineering’, physicist Heinz Wolff’s accomplished career and achievements span decades. Quentin Cooper interviews Heinz about his life and work: on moving to Britain at the outbreak of World War II; becoming the face of the BBC’s The Great Egg Race, which tested the abilities of teams of inventors; and creating a mince pie particle accelerator...
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 2-3PM, £7
S053
Allergies are on the rise, or so say the headlines. Is honey a cure for hayfever? Can you wean yourself off an allergy, or stop yourself developing a new one? Can we grow out of allergies as we get older? Consultant immunologist Tariq ElShanawany and Sense About Science’s Tracey Brown challenge some of the current allergy misconceptions.
Can the way you live reduce your chance of developing Alzheimer’s? By monitoring groups of people over their lifetimes, and with genetic data, brain scans and medical histories, researchers are building as complete a picture as possible of how dementia develops. John Gallacher and Nick Fox join us to show how these studies can uncover the risks involved in developing forms of dementia, and how they can be avoided.
S051
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has rapidly become the deadliest since the discovery of the virus. Was the British Government’s response the correct one? What are the risks to us? And what do we really know about this deadly disease? Experts David Evans, Adrian Hill and Peter Horby reveal the history and biology of Ebola and discuss how close we are to ending the crisis.
NATURAL NANOTECHNOLOGY? HELIX THEATRE 4-5PM, £7
S056
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event ENVIRONMENT
HEALTH
EDF ENERGY ARENA 4-5PM, £8
EBOLA
TECHNOLOGY
Of course technology doesn’t grow on trees... does it? In fact, biology makes its own versions of batteries, displays and processors, using very tiny nanoscale components. Could mimicking biology improve our own technology and eliminate pollution at the same time? Join nanobiophysicist Chris Forman and find out...
CHRIS RAPLEY ON CLIMATE CHANGE
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WINTON CRUCIBLE 2-3PM, £7
S055
MYTH-BUSTING: ALLERGIES
PHYSICS
EDF ENERGY ARENA 2-3PM, £8
WINTON CRUCIBLE 4-5PM, £7
ARE WE OVER-MEDICATED? S054
2071: the year that climate scientist Chris Rapley’s granddaughter will be the age he is now, and the subject of his recent play on how we can expect the world to change. But when it comes to climate change, some think that doing nothing is better than doing something stupid. He joins us to talk about what scientists can do to really engage the public in the conversation.
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 4-5PM, £7
S057
Aspirin, statins for cholesterol, antidepressants, treatments for high blood pressure: medicines are no longer just short-term lifesavers, but are becoming lifestyle drugs. Although given with good intentions, are they really improving quality of life? Or are patients increasingly caught in a loop of GP appointments and repeat prescriptions? Clinical pharmacologist Simon Maxwell asks: are we over-medicated?
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
24/25
THURSDAY 4 JUNE ENTERTAINMENT
TECHNOLOGY
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BRAIN
GRAPHENE: MATERIAL OF THE MODERN AGE?
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 4.15-5.15PM, £9
S058
Thoughts, emotions, desires — these are not just connections in your brain: they depend on connections between our brains. With witty words, videos and a little music, you will experience your thoughts being controlled and discover a new way to feel. If you think that your thoughts are all in your brain, it’s time to get out of your head with psychologist and historian Peter Lamont.
WINTON CRUCIBLE 6-7PM, £8
S060
In 2010 graphene was hailed as the most useful material ever created, winning a Nobel Prize and making headlines around the world. Five years on, is anyone actually using it? Learn about the amazing properties of graphene with materials scientist Aravind Vijayaraghavan and the National Graphene Institute’s business director James Baker as they explore real-world uses for graphene, and look at what is happening in the commercial sector right now.
WORKSHOP
VIRTUAL REALITY: MAKE YOUR OWN View of comet 67P from Rosetta
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE 6-7PM 7.30-8.30PM £12
HEALTH
STRESS AND THE WORKPLACE HELIX THEATRE 6-7PM, £8
Does stress have to be bad, or do we all need a little? Purportedly costing the UK economy billions every year, stress seems to be a fact of life. But what is going on when we get stressed? Endocrinologist Jonathan Seckl discusses the good and bad sides of stress as Workwell’s Louise Aston looks at its economic cost and ways to improve employee well-being.
SPACE
ROSETTA: TO CATCH A COMET EDF ENERGY ARENA 6-7PM, £10
S061
With Facebook’s $2bn acquisition of innovative VR company Oculus Rift, virtual reality might be mainstream sooner than we think. Google has a much cheaper option — Google Cardboard, a partly homemade kit that turns your smartphone into a budget VR headset. Join John Tredinnick to find out about the coming virtual reality revolution and make your own headset to take away. VR headset compatible with a range of smartphones, see cheltenhamfestivals.com for details. CURRENT AFFAIRS
S059
In 2014, Rosetta finally reached its destination after a ten-year, 6 billion km journey, becoming the first spacecraft in history to orbit a comet and land a probe on its surface. Join astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell, Rosetta project scientist Matt Taylor and planetary and space scientist Monica Grady to find out what happened when Philae touched down, the latest discoveries from Rosetta and what exciting breakthroughs are yet to come.
S063 S064
BIG DATA OR BIG BROTHER?
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 6.15-7.15PM, £8
BBC SCIENCE ZONE* 6-7PM, FREE
Data is big business. By linking information from mobile phones, credit cards and social media, companies can understand customers like never before, cities can become smarter and health risks can be identified before they spread. But are you concerned about how your information will be used? Do we care that we have lost our anonymity? Statistician Mark Girolami, software engineer Martyn Thomas and lawyer Marion Oswald discuss the issues.
S062
Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
S065
THURSDAY 4 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
THE SUMMERFIELD EVENT
SPACE
LIFE
HUMANITY: A GEOLOGICAL SUPERPOWER
SPACE: IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?
HOW DID LIFE BEGIN?
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 6.30-7.30PM, S066 £8
Humans are now a major geological power, capable of altering the land, oceans, atmosphere and biology of the planet. Climatologist Mark Maslin welcomes you to the new geological era, the 'Anthropocene', and the huge controversy about when it began and why it matters today.
HELIX THEATRE 8-9PM, £8
S069
Space is an expensive business; the recent Rosetta mission is said to have cost €1.4bn. Although space research is often seen as glamorous and exciting, should research here on earth take priority? Asking whether we can justify the cost are Monica Grady, who organised a Kickstarter campaign to fund a mission to the moon, Director of RAL Space Richard Holdaway and former European Commission Chief Scientific Adviser Anne Glover.
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 8.30-9.30PM, S071 £9
How did life begin? Did the molecules of life form in outer space or the bottom of the sea? Adam Rutherford joins biochemist Nick Lane, chemist Matt Powner and astrobiologist Zita Martins as they look at the latest research into the biggest unanswered question in biology: where did life come from?
IDEAS CAFÉ
WHAT IF… DATA SCIENCE CAN SOLVE OUR FUTURE? UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE 7.30-8.30PM, FREE
S067
Data science and big data have been presented as the future ‘problem solver’ for all things, from breast cancer to better traffic, and from smart cities to better governance. But what can data science do for you? Join Mark Girolami and other leading researchers from the University of Warwick to discuss this question over a glass of wine and some nibbles.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
SCI-FI AND THE FUTURE WINTON CRUCIBLE 8-9PM, £10
S068
From the classics of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells to modern day shows like Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who, sci-fi can’t help but be a social commentary of the life and times in which it’s written. Author Stephen Baxter, literary historian Farah Mendlesohn and computer scientist Seth Bullock explore the effect of culture on sci-fi (and vice versa), and what today’s science fiction says about us.
ENTERTAINMENT
FAMELAB INTERNATIONAL FINAL EDF ENERGY ARENA 8.30-10.30PM, £10
S070
Watch as the world’s best and brightest battle for the title of FameLab International Winner in the 10thanniversary of this enthralling science competition! Nobel Laureates James Watson and Peter Higgs called it the most fun they’ve had in years, and now you too can see our FameLab Finalists use all their charm, charisma and knowledge to deliver three minutes of science in style.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
FOOD & DRINK
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TASTE TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 8.45-10.15PM, £15
S072
Experimental psychologist Charles Spence and molecular gastronomist Jozef Youssef take you on a journey through the senses, showing how taste is not just about your tongue; it’s complex and involves sight, hearing and touch as well. With shocking and scintillating flavours, prepare to have your taste buds tripped up as they demonstrate that everything we see, hear and smell influence what we taste.
Event includes tasters
26/27
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
SUGAR: THE SWEET TRUTH 1.30-2.30PM, S074 Like many people, we have a sweet tooth here at the Science Festival, but sugar is now at the centre of the latest dietary storm. With cubits of conflicting information in the media, how can we be sure what is true? We’ve asked Graham MacGregor from the Action on Sugar campaign, dietician Catherine Collins and psychologist David Benton to help us unpick the headlines.
DINOSAURS: WHAT DID THEY REALLY LOOK LIKE? 4.15-5.15PM, S083 We used to think T. rex stood completely upright, dragging its tail on the ground, and feathers were just for birds: but scientific discoveries have dramatically changed our image of dinosaurs. In order to appreciate where we are now, we also need to look backward, so we’ve brought together a palaeontologist, a palaeoartist and a science historian to discuss how we really know what dinosaurs looked like.
DON’T MISS GREAT SCOTT! BACK TO THE FUTURE AT 30 6.30-7.30PM, S090
‘You made a time machine out of a DELOREAN?!’
MARTIN REES: MARS TO THE MULTIVERSE 8.30-9.30PM, S097
DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
With his big-thinking, aweinspiring journeys through the universe and into the future, Martin Rees is always a Festival favourite. This time he’s taking us from Mars to the multiverse, showing how recent advances in astronomy and cosmology expand our knowledge of the solar system and hint at the existence of many universes beyond the one we know.
In 1985, Marty McFly hopped in a DeLorean and travelled to 2015. Sadly we don’t have flying cars, but the future we do have is still pretty amazing. This is an unapologetically geeky celebration of all things Back to the Future where dressing up is encouraged, but not required. Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads…
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
DINOSAURS
HEALTH
DINOSAUR HUNTERS
SITTING: THE LAZY KILLER
EDF ENERGY ARENA 2.15-3.15PM, £9
Dinosaurs might have gone extinct millions of years ago, but they left traces of their time here across the planet. Meet the dinosaur hunters who scour the earth for fossils: Phil Manning and his massive mummified monster; palaeontologist Victoria Egerton and her work on the 60tonne behemoth Dreadnoughtus; and American palaeontologist and fossil collector Pete Larson and his Tyrannosaurus rexes.
HEALTH
ALICE ROBERTS: MRI ANATOMY WINTON CRUCIBLE 12.30-1.30PM, £8
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 3.30-4.30PM, £8
S078
It seems an everyday occurrence that we hear of something that is 'the new cancer'. But sitting? Apparently Brits spend a whopping 19 hours a day sitting or lying around, a sedentary lifestyle that makes exercise seem rather pointless: so what is that doing to our health? Doctor Michael Mosley is joined by scientist John Buckley to stand up and shout about sitting down. WORKSHOP
S073
Anatomist Alice Roberts seems like such a lovely person, but consultant radiologist Iain Lyburn has seen right through her. Literally. He put her into an MRI and scanned her from inside out! Join them for a revealing discussion in this high-tech anatomy lesson with a difference, and remember: it’s what’s on the inside that counts. HEALTH
SUGAR: THE SWEET TRUTH TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 1.30-2.30PM, £7
S075
S074
Sugar is the latest dietary demon, but is it really as bad as the headlines suggest? How much is too much? How can we know how much we are consuming anyway? Separating fact from fiction and debating what should be done about it are NHS dietician Catherine Collins, psychologist David Benton and Graham MacGregor, from Action on Sugar.
ARDUINO PROGRAMMING TECHNOLOGY
QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY HELIX THEATRE 2.30-3.30PM, £7
S076
As technology allows us to work at colder and colder temperatures, and smaller and smaller sizes, quantum effects become commonplace. But are these curious anomalies a help or hindrance? Quantum physicists Jeremy O’Brien, Sonja FrankeArnold and Kai Bongs discuss how the advances in the quantum field could fundamentally change the tech landscape — and what still keeps this from becoming reality.
GE PAVILION 3.45-4.15PM 5.45-6.15PM 6.45-7.15PM 7.45-8.15PM FREE
S079 S080 S081 S082
If you think that Java is just an island, Python a snake and C++ a grade then perhaps the software engineers at GE can help. Whether you have a basic understanding in programming or don’t know where to start, try a GE workshop for a tutorial in programming an Arduino to control lights and motors.
DINOSAURS
DINOSAURS: WHAT DID THEY REALLY LOOK LIKE?
PSYCHOLOGY
GOSSIP: WHY YOU LOVE IT WINTON CRUCIBLE 2.30-3.30PM, £8
S077
Psst! Have you heard that psychologists Robin Dunbar and Jennifer Cole and Daily Mirror deputy 3am editor Hannah Hope are talking about gossip? Love it or loathe it, you’re hard-wired for gossip and are more likely to behave if you think you’ll be the subject of some. But in today’s digital world, the new way we gossip could be changing us. This is one conversation you won’t want to miss.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
EDF ENERGY ARENA 4.15-5.15PM, £10
S083
In 1825, everything scientists knew about Iguanodons was based on a single bone, which they took for a nose. It turned out to be a claw! Almost 170 years later Jurassic Park still couldn’t get it right — Velociraptors should be turkey-sized, not six-foot man-eaters. Join Alice Roberts, paleoartist Bob Nicholls, palaeontologist Mike Benton and historian Joe Cain as they ask: how do we really know what dinosaurs looked like?
28/29
FRIDAY 5 JUNE SPACE
PSYCHOLOGY
SEARCHING FOR ALIEN INTELLIGENCE
WHY TAKE THE RISK?
WINTON CRUCIBLE 4.30-5.30PM, £8
S084
For more than 50 years, giant telescopes like those at Jodrell Bank Observatory have searched the skies for evidence of alien civilisations. Join Jodrell Bank’s Tim O’Brien as he describes recent progress in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), including live data links to giant telescopes, and considers what the future may hold in our attempts to make contact with our cosmic neighbours.
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 6-7PM, S087 £8
Could you take risks with multi-million pound deals, or with life and death decisions? Neuroscientist Vince Walsh and behavioural scientist Nick Chater explore risk-riddled professions, from the psychology of convincing yourself to face danger, to crucial decision-making under pressure. Joining them are professional risk-takers.
TECHNOLOGY
CAN WE BUILD A QUANTUM COMPUTER? HELIX THEATRE 4.30-5.30PM, £7
S085
What would happen if the strange quantum behaviour of atoms could be harnessed into a computer? A machine using atoms to store information could, in theory, solve problems that would take a modern PC the age of the universe to complete — but can it be done? Quantum physicists Gavin Morley, Winfried Hensinger and Elham Kashefi discuss how the theory of quantum computing will ever become reality.
NATURE
OTTERS WINTON CRUCIBLE 6.30-7.30PM, £8
S091
Sunbathing, playing and catching fish sounds like an easy life, but there’s more than meets the eye to these treasured inhabitants of Britain’s waterways. The 1950s and 60s almost spelled the end for otters in the UK, but recent years have seen them swimming back into Britain. Otter expert Dan Forman shows what makes these river creatures so fascinating.
ENTERTAINMENT
CLOSE-UP SCIENCE SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE 6.15-7.15PM 7.45-8.45PM £10
S088 S089
In this cabaret-style show, BBC presenter Greg Foot and science showman Nic Harrigan bring intriguing challenges direct to your table with some unique close-up science. From a cloud chamber in a pint glass and taste-bud-trickery to brain-warping illusions and an engineering face-off!
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME HELIX THEATRE 6.30-7.30PM, FREE
S092
Explore today’s biggest debates, newest discoveries and favourite Festival moments with journalists from The Times and a selection of the day’s speakers.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
GREAT SCOTT! BACK TO THE FUTURE AT 30
DINOSAURS
MASS EXTINCTIONS TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 5.30-6.30PM, £8
S086
The dinosaurs died in the most famous mass extinction of all time, but that wasn’t the first (or worst!) time that life on earth came to a crashing halt. What causes mass extinctions and how does life bounce back? Join geologist David Bond and dinosaur researcher Paul Barrett to hear about the meteor that crashed into earth millions of years ago, massive volcanoes and how life always finds a way.
EDF ENERGY ARENA 6.30-7.30PM, £10
S090
The 2015 of Back to the Future II was a world of flying cars, portable fusion reactors and self-drying clothes — but also augmented reality, hands-free gaming and video conferencing. Superfans Adam Rutherford, Gia Milinovich and Stewart Boogert accelerate to 88mph and ask: with hoverboards and self-tying shoelaces making an appearance this year, why do some things get invented and not others? And will we really not need roads any more? Dressing up encouraged!
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
IDEAS CAFÉ
WHAT IF... THE FUTURE WERE AS CLEAR AS CRYSTALLOGRAPHY? UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE 7.15-8.15PM, FREE
S093
100 years ago, father and son team William and Lawrence Bragg won a Nobel Prize for creating an equation that cleared up the mysteries of crystals. Their work has allowed us to peer into crystal structures using X-ray diffraction, from rock salt to DNA, from diamond to vitamin B. Over a glass of wine and some nibbles, discuss what the next century will hold for this fascinating science.
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
BACK TO THE FUTURE
ILLUSIONS TO BEND YOUR MIND
LATE NIGHT IN THE DISCOVER ZONE
SUPERCONDUCTORS AND THE LHC
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 8-9PM S094 £9
TOWN HALL, DISCOVER ZONE S096 8-10PM, FREE
HELIX THEATRE 8.30-9.30PM, £8
Ever wanted to explore our Discover Zone without any kids around? Well, now’s your chance! A kid-free opportunity to get hands-on with an array of interactive activities. Explore Doc Brown’s Invention Lab, navigate a remote controlled car through an overhead maze, power a rocket and have a go at coding and cryptography, beer in hand.
What do MRI scanners, maglev trains and quantum computers all have in common? The answer: superconductors. But what are they? What causes their strange properties? And why are they so integral to the working of the world’s largest experiment, the Large Hadron Collider? Stewart Boogert and Stephen Gibson explore these questions and more, with demonstrations including their very own levitating DeLorean.
Illusions are fascinating: they trick our brains and show us the limitations of our perception. We’re all familiar with the optical ones, but there are illusions that work on other senses: affecting your taste, causing your nose to ‘grow’ or your arm to disappear! Let psychologists Charles Spence and Roger Newport take you on a sensation swapping, brain bending trip. This isn’t magic, this is science!
Over 18s only The bar will be open during this event
S098
ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE FESTIVAL VARIETY NIGHT EDF ENERGY ARENA 8.30-10PM, £15
Guest Director Steve Backshall and a sensational selection of our Festival speakers flux their capacitors and join g-forces to bring you an evening of inspiration, laughs, surprises and spectacular science. Music, comedy, words, ideas and plenty more... Hosted by the man who puts the angle in newfangled, stand-up mathematician Matt Parker.
FOOD & DRINK
WHISKY TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 8-9.30PM, £25
THE UNIVERSE S095
Single malts come in a vast range of colours, tastes and aromas. From dark and smoky to honeyed and floral, golden yellow to dark amber. But what gives each whisky its unique characteristics: the barrel it’s matured in; the distillation process; or maybe it’s in the water? Aged to perfection, Noel Jackson blends science with whisky for an evening exploring some favourite drams. Slàinte!
Includes whisky samples and nibbles Over 18s only
S099
MARTIN REES: MARS TO THE MULTIVERSE WINTON CRUCIBLE 8.30-9.30PM, £10
Over 18s only Guests to be announced at cheltenhamfestivals.com
S097
What does the long-range future hold? Is there just one universe, or is ours one of many? Past President of the Royal Society Martin Rees goes from Mars to the multiverse, with astonishing recent developments in astronomy and cosmology: from unmanned spacecraft exploring our own solar system, to telescopes that reach as far as the Big Bang — and perhaps gives hints of other big bangs!
SPACE
STARGAZING THE TIMES SCIENCE HUB 9.45-11PM, FREE
Join the Cotswold Astronomical Society for an evening of stargazing, with a chance to observe the heavens yourself and the possibility of seeing the rings of Saturn.
This event is weather dependent FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
S100
30/31
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
TAXIDERMY: ALIVE AND KICKING 2-3.15PM, S106 Is taxidermy trendy? Apparently it’s all the rage, with do-it-yourself kits and howto classes popping up all over London and other major cities, so we thought we’d see what it was all about, from the inside out, and bring taxidermist Kim Wagner to the Festival. She really knows her stuff.
FRACTALS: INFINITELY BEAUTIFUL 2.15-3.15PM, S107 Katie Steckles’ star is rising exponentially and we are delighted to welcome her back to the Festival this year. Katie’s talk on fractals is beautifully illustrated and her mathematical passion is only equalled by her knowledge and her clever demonstrations. Also catch Katie defending her OverAmbitious Demo Challenge title at 8.45pm S123; and in her Mathematical Origami workshops on Weds 3 June, 6.45pm S039 and 8.15pm S040.
DON’T MISS JEREMY FARRAR ON TACKLING PANDEMICS 4.30-5.30PM, S113 Over his career, Jeremy Farrar has been involved with vital research on infectious diseases — from malaria to dengue fever to tetanus — and has been a front-line worker dealing with epidemics overseas. These experiences give Jeremy a first-hand perspective on how to deal with diseases and we hope you join us to hear his ideas on how we should be tackling these impending crises in today’s global village.
GRAVITY WAVES OR DUST IN THE WIND? 8.15PM-9.15PM, S122 DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
One thing we love about science is how it pushes the boundaries of our understanding. Last year, cosmologists thought they had found ripples in spacetime from the birth of the universe. Months later, the results crumbled to dust (actual dust). How could cosmologists get it wrong? Does this damage the public’s trust in science? Find out in a frank discussion about the pitfalls and perils of groundbreaking science.
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WHO OWNS YOUR MEDICAL DATA? TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 10-11AM, £7
S101
It’s all about you — but does it belong to you? Your medical data potentially contains very sensitive information, incredibly useful for diagnosis and innovation: but the implications of who has access to this most personal type of data are vastly complex. Public health scientist Susan Wallace and neuroscientist Paul Matthews discuss the ethical and social issues around sharing our individual health and biology.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
CAN WE PREDICT PANDEMICS? HELIX THEATRE 10.15-11.15AM, £8
S102
PHYSICS
FOOD & DRINK
BRIAN COX: IN CONVERSATION
BREAD: RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
EDF ENERGY ARENA 12NOON-1PM, £15
S103
Particle physicist, retired rock star and presenter of the BBC’s Wonders of the Solar System, Brian Cox is the Royal Society’s newly appointed Professor for Public Engagement in Science at Manchester University. Join Brian as he talks with Adam Rutherford about particle physics, the importance of getting people engaged with science and why the UK needs to aspire to be the best place for science in the world.
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 12.15-1.30PM, £12
S105
Chemist Andrea Sella, materials scientist Mark Miodownik and a baker rise to the challenge and knead a perfect combination of science, engineering and bakery. With live doughy demos they’ll separate your soda from your sourdough, your bagel from your baguette and your multi-grain from your gluten-free. This event will certainly smell good if nothing else!
In today’s globally connected world, infectious diseases spread more easily than ever. With the effect of antibiotic use in Asia felt in UK hospitals and Australian flu strains arriving here for winter, how can we use tools like vaccines to limit the spread of disease? Join infectious disease modellers Erin Lafferty, Gwen Knight and Albert van Hoek to explore how we can predict and trace the spread of diseases today.
NATURE
WHALES AND DOLPHINS: THEIR SOCIAL LIVES WINTON CRUCIBLE 12NOON-1PM, £8
S104
Despite their underwater habitat, in some ways whales and dolphins are so much like us. They socialise; they chat; they play. Spy in the Pod producer Rob Pilley and biologist and co-author of The Cultural Lives of Whales and Dolphins Luke Rendell join The One Show’s Miranda Krestovnikoff to explore the social lives of our favourite sea creatures.
Co-programmed with WhaleFest FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
LIFE
TAXIDERMY: ALIVE AND KICKING WINTON CRUCIBLE 2-3.15PM, £10
S106
Taxidermy is both an art and a science. Its popularity might have waned since its Victorian heyday, but it is still alive and kicking and making a big comeback in modern Britain. Taxidermist Kim Wagner takes you through the process step-by-step live on stage, whilst talking you through the procedure from sourcing to statue as she says ‘get stuffed’ to a bird.
32/33
SATURDAY 6 JUNE MATHS
WORKSHOP
HEALTH
FRACTALS: INFINITELY BEAUTIFUL
PROGRAMMING WITH LEGO MINDSTORM ROBOTS
THE EFFECTS OF RECREATIONAL DRUGS
HELIX THEATRE 2.15-3.15PM, £8
S107
Believe it or not, coastlines, mountain ranges and plants are examples of fractals: never-ending perfect copies inside copies inside copies... and so on for infinity. These intricate mathematical patterns come in many varieties, and aren’t just beautiful but useful too. Mathematician Katie Steckles wowed us to become last year’s Over Ambitious Demo Challenge winner: now let her amaze you with the magnificence of fractal maths.
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE DANCE STUDIO, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 4-5PM, S110 £8
No matter how smart robots are, they still need someone to tell them what to do. In a hands-on workshop using the basics of programming and the technology of a LEGO Mindstorm set, expert programmer Dave Cohen will open up the world of robotic control and robot behaviours to you. No previous experience required.
HELIX THEATRE 4.15-5.15PM, £8
S112
What are the real facts about recreational drug use? Media headlines are full of conflicting reports about use, abuse and the effects of illicit substances. When you take an illegal drug, what actually happens to your brain and body? Doctor Chris van Tulleken, psychologist Andy Parrott and policy expert Niamh Eastwood uncover some truths about drugs, their physical, social and mental impact.
LIFE
THE TREE OF LIFE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 2.15-3.15PM, S108 £9
Over the last 4 billion years, the diversity of life on earth has exploded, giving rise to organisms of all shape and sizes. But despite this diversity, more species have gone extinct than are seen on our planet today. Alice Roberts, mammalian expert Anjali Goswami and plant expert Jeremy Pritchard explore how life on earth has thrived and look at the tree of life.
STUFF MATTERS WINTON CRUCIBLE 4.15-5.15PM, £8
CURRENT AFFAIRS
A WORLD WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 2.30-3.30PM, £8
BACK TO THE FUTURE
S109
In a world without antibiotics, simple surgical procedures would become too risky; minor accidents could result in lifethreatening infections; and some diseases could become untreatable. The overuse of antibiotics and rise of resistant bacteria mean that this future may not be as farfetched as it sounds. Tackling the issues, Vivienne Parry talks to Director of the Wellcome Trust Jeremy Farrar and Cliodna McNulty from Public Health England.
S111
Everything is made of something — from everyday objects in our homes to materials that will shape our future. From the tea cup to the jet engine and the silicon chip to the paperclip, materials scientist Mark Miodownik demonstrates the inner workings of the man-made world: the miracles of craft, design, engineering and ingenuity that surround us every day. Be amazed at mankind’s creativity and find out why stuff really matters!
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
JEREMY FARRAR ON TACKLING PANDEMICS TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 4.30-5.30PM, £8
S113
In this exclusive interview, Director of the Wellcome Trust Jeremy Farrar joins Alice Roberts for a frank discussion about the biggest global health risk today: infectious disease. The recent Ebola epidemic has reminded us that perhaps we are not as prepared for a disease outbreak as we should be. Are we really ready to tackle a pandemic?
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
LIFE
STEVE BACKSHALL: EXTREME EXPLORERS EDF ENERGY ARENA 6.15-7.15PM, £10
S114
HISTORY
HEALTH
THE IMPRESSIONISTS: A COLOURFUL LEGACY
HEALTH, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE
HELIX THEATRE 6.15-7.15PM, £7
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 7-8.30PM, £10
S116
Renowned for their use of colour, the Impressionists of the 19th century were inextricably linked to the technology of the time: with the creation of new vivid pigments and developments in paint storage. Sarah Butterfield paints a picture of the science in art, delving into the beloved Impressionists and the scientific breakthroughs that left such a colourful legacy.
Sir Edmund Hillary once said, ‘It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves’. Guest Director and adventurer Steve Backshall is joined by alpine climbing legend Kenton Cool to discuss the extremes that some people go to, and what drives them to risk life and limb to explore this planet.
S118
The public health films of the mid-20th century were doom-laden but often hilarious — from diphtheria and antismoking to fat children and bad hygiene. Timandra Harkness, Anne Johnson and others show archive clips from the past and present, sorting the fact from the fiction and the daft from the downright dangerous.
The bar will be open during this event In association with the Academy of Medical Sciences IDEAS CAFÉ
WHAT IF... ROBOTS ARE OUR FUTURE? UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK WHAT IF? ZONE 7.30-8.30PM, FREE
S119
In 2014, Stephen Hawking said ‘the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race’. Could developments in AI and robotics really create the prospect of human extinction? Join leading researchers from the University of Warwick to discuss this question while enjoying wine and nibbles. TECHNOLOGY
BITCOIN: THE FUTURE OF MONEY?
TECHNOLOGY
EX MACHINA: INSIDE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WINTON CRUCIBLE 6.15-7.15PM, £9
S115
Alex Garland’s 2015 film Ex Machina explored the ethics and dangers of artificial intelligence. The science advisors to the film Adam Rutherford, Gia Milinovich and Murray Shanahan discuss the movie and the moral implications of AI: how can we prove consciousness? What would the rights of a machine be? And how likely is it that any robots will actually look like beautiful women?
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 6.15-7.15PM, S117 £9
Meet Bitcoin, the currency of the internet: open-source, peer-to-peer money, with no government, bank or company in charge. The cryptocurrency has gathered a fair share of negative press — but is it deserved? If multinational corporations start dealing in this new form of currency, what will be the impact on our economy? Comedian and MoneyWeek columnist Dominic Frisby tells the story of Bitcoin and why it could change the world.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
HEALTH
HEALTH HEADLINES: CHRIS AND XAND VAN TULLEKEN PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 8.15-9.15PM, S120 £9
How do you dig through the daily deluge of health information? From the latest diet craze, exercise advice and drug scaremongering: no wonder we’re confused! Having themselves been contributors to this confusion, doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken now want to empower you — to challenge your doctors, to win arguments at the water cooler and to make sense of the mess the media make of medical advice.
34/35
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
I M A F N E V E
ENTERTAINMENT
MATT PARKER: NOW IN 4D EDF ENERGY ARENA 8.15-9.15PM, £12
S121
Award winning maths comedian and Rubik’s Cube world record holder Matt Parker returns to the Festival, and this time in 4D! Take a journey to the fourth dimension and back as he once more forms a maths + comedy venn diagram with lively stand-up and mind-boggling maths.
Warning: Contains Graphical Content (actual graphs), adult themes and live calculations
ENTERTAINMENT
OVER-AMBITIOUS DEMO CHALLENGE 2015 WINTON CRUCIBLE 8.45-10PM, £10
S123
Steve Mould and Andrea Sella host the infamous Science Festival Demo Challenge, our annual contest for the most spectacular, impressive and show-stopping demonstration that our invited scientists can conceive. Expect madness and mayhem as this year’s contestants Marty Jopson, Greg Foot and 2014 defending champion Katie Steckles try to outdo each other — who gets your vote?
THE UNIVERSE
GRAVITY WAVES OR DUST IN THE WIND? HELIX THEATRE 8.15-9.15PM, £8
S122
In 2014, cosmologists were thrilled to report ripples emanating from the beginning of time. But in a widely-publicised debacle these were proved false, the results most likely due to dust in the Milky Way. Andrew Pontzen joins experts Andrew Jaffe and George Efstathiou as they explain what went wrong, the effect this had on cosmology and what happens next as we continue searching for the moments after the Big Bang.
SPACE
FAMILY
FARTOLOGY EDF ENERGY ARENA 10-11AM, £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 8+
SF01
The unspeakable science of your own portable chemistry lab. Leave your hangups at the door and brace yourself (and your nose!) for the amazing, stinky, explosive world of digestion. Andrea Sella, Stefan Gates and Zoe Laughlin explain bacterial bum biochemistry by brewing farts live on stage, firing parping cannons at the audience and setting light to some very potent gases.
STARGAZING THE TIMES SCIENCE HUB 9.45-11PM, FREE
S124
Join the Cotswold Astronomical Society for an evening of stargazing, with a chance to observe the heavens yourself and the possibility of seeing the rings of Saturn.
This event is weather dependent
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
FAMILY
SPECTACULAR SEA DRAGONS WINTON CRUCIBLE 10-11AM, £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 7+
SF02
When dinosaurs ruled the land, what ruled the waves? Huge reptiles called plesiosaurs owned the sea, and sat at the very top of their food chain. Evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod takes you back over 200 million years to hear about the lives of these reallife sea dragons, and you can even touch the giant fossilized skull of one!
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
FAMILY
THIS SHOW IS TOTALLY RANDOM HELIX THEATRE 12.15-1.15PM, £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 10+
ILY NTS
SF09
Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to predict the weather? Or the lottery numbers? In a predictably unpredictable show, our previous FameLab contestants use all their skills and messy demos, including clouds of confetti and tons of table-tennis balls, to show how totally random the world is! FAMILY
UGLY ANIMAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 10.15-11.15AM, SF07 £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 7+
FAMILY WORKSHOP
Why is it that only the cute and fluffy endangered animals get all the press? Ugly endangered animals need attention too! Join President of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society Simon Watt to explore the brilliant biology and amazing adaptations of the animal kingdom’s most monstrous beasts. How did they evolve to be so ugly? What would be the impact if we lost them for good?
PROGRAMMING WITH LEGO MINDSTORM ROBOTS
FAMILY
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE DANCE STUDIO, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 10-11AM SF03 11.30AM-12.30PM SF04 1-2PM SF05 2.30-3.30PM SF06 £8 IDEAL FOR AGES 11+
Robots can be used for so many incredible tasks — from search and rescue here on earth, to exploring distant environments out in space — but how do they know what to do? Find out with robot programmer Dave Cohen by programming a LEGO Mindstorm robot yourself. Get hands-on and teach your robot how to search and what to listen out for.
VIRUSES: SNEEZES AND GORE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 12.15-1.15PM, SF08 £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 8+
Colds and viruses lurk inside you, waiting for you to sneeze on people — gross! Chris van Tulleken and Greg Towers spread their love of vicious viruses and show you science that’s so new, even your smartypants parents won’t know it. Xand van Tulleken joins the fun too with ribtickling, eye-opening (and rather gory) experiments using real body parts!
Warning: this event will contain some blood and guts
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
FAMILY
STEVE BACKSHALL: THE DEADLIEST ANIMALS ON EARTH EDF ENERGY ARENA 2-3PM, £8 IDEAL FOR AGES 6+
SF10
From spooky spiders to scary snakes, the world’s wildest places have some of the deadliest creatures — and our Guest Director Steve Backshall has met them all (well, most of them). But should we really be frightened of them? Which are the most dangerous to us? Join Steve as he investigates the deadliest animals on earth.
36/37
SUNDAY 7 JUNE IDENTIFYING RICHARD III 11.45AM-1PM, S127
Since he was dug up in a Leicester car park two years ago, Richard III has been splashed across headlines and mired in controversy. And of course we want to look at the facts with the excavation project’s very own Turi King. But not everyone has been swayed by what’s been found, so we have asked Mark Thomas and Richard Wicks to battle out why.
FEMINISM, SEXISM AND BRINGING UP GIRLS 3-4PM, S132
DON’T MISS
“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” — Malala Yousafzai Women are poorly represented in science, like they are in so many other sectors of society, so we are tackling this issue head-on with four fantastic speakers — Tanya Byron, Tanith Carey, Caroline Criado-Perez and Gabriel Weston — to discuss feminism, sexism and the challenges of raising strong young women in today’s world. WILKO JOHNSON: CANCER-FREE 4.30-5.30PM, S136
DINOSAURS
THE UNIVERSE
BACK TO THE FUTURE LIFE
Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson’s story of terminal cancer diagnosis, re-diagnosis and pioneering treatment that left him cancer-free is as extraordinary as it is hopeful. Not only a story of medical triumph — led by his surgeon Emmanuel Huguet — but it is a personal, emotional journey from imminent death to a life to be lived. We are thrilled that they are both here to tell Libby Purves the tale.
ROBERT WINSTON: THREE-PARENT BABIES 4-5PM, S133 Science and ethics are fundamentally, and necessarily, linked: every step forward that science takes and every new procedure developed needs ethical support. Tackling big ethical questions is something we do each year and we couldn’t think of anyone better to talk about three-parent babies than Robert Winston. He has been a Festival favourite since the beginning — and hopefully for many more years to come.
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
NATURE
DOGS: THEIR SECRET LIVES
UNIVERSE
WATER: THE ELEMENT OF LIFE HELIX THEATRE 10-11AM, £8
S125
Water may seem ordinary — it pours from our taps and falls from the sky — but you would be surprised at what a profoundly strange substance it is. Without its rebel behaviour, though, none of us would exist. Alok Jha will change the way you look at water — it has shaped life on earth, and connects you and everyone else to the birth (and death) of the universe.
EDF ENERGY ARENA 2-3PM, £9
HISTORY
IDENTIFYING RICHARD III PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 11.45AM-1PM S127 £8
In 2013, it was announced that the battlescarred skeleton found in a carpark in Leicester was indeed that of King Richard III. But how certain are we that it was really him? Archaeologist and geneticist Turi King, who led the genetic analysis of his remains, takes us through the journey of his excavation and identification, while geneticist Mark Thomas and historian Michael Hicks discuss the scientific and historical evidence.
PRIVACY VS. PROTECTION TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 12.30-1.30PM, £8
INSIDE THE MIND OF A TEENAGER TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 10.30-11.30AM, £8
S126
Are you baffled by teenagers? Do you wonder at their recklessness, their decisions, and their inability to get up in the morning? Before you write them all off, neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore uncovers the teenage brain: showing the differences that can explain some of their behaviour, and exploring how full of creativity and passion this formative period can be.
S128
‘Are we going to allow a means of communications where it simply is not possible [to listen in]? My answer to that question is: no, we must not.’ David Cameron has made his feelings clear on end-to-end encryption, and so we face a data dilemma: how to keep our information safe without shielding criminals from the eyes of the law. Cryptographers Keith Martin and Kenny Paterson discuss this cryptography quandary.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
What do a dog’s actions tell us about what they are thinking? Channel 4 investigated secret doggie lives in order to help us understand their behaviour and make them happier in our homes. With clips from the show, vet and presenter Mark Evans, dog behaviourist Emily Blackwell and series producer Kirsty Wilson explain what’s really going on in the mind of man’s best friend.
LIFE
MODERN HUMAN BEHAVIOUR: THE BEGINNINGS PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 2-3PM, S130 £8
TECHNOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
S129
Archaeology shows us that over the last 100,000 years our ancestors began using more sophisticated tools, trading over longdistances, decorating their bodies and creating art. Often called the origins of modern human behaviour, what initiated this major leap in behavioural evolution? Evolutionary geneticist Mark Thomas looks into the origins of what makes us human and where modern behaviour all began.
38/39
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
MATHS
THE IMPROBABILITY PRINCIPLE WINTON CRUCIBLE 2.30-3.30PM, £8
S131
CURRENT AFFAIRS
LIFE
ROBERT WINSTON: THREE-PARENT BABIES
DOMESTICATION: A 15,000 YEAR HISTORY
HELIX THEATRE 4-5PM, £9
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 4-5PM, S135 £8
S133
In February, MPs voted in a law permitting babies to be created from 3 different people — the first country to do so. The procedure offers hope to thousands of families in the UK, but critics have questioned this controversial move claiming safety concerns and ‘designer babies’ as the next step. Fertility expert Robert Winston explains the truth behind the headlines.
Why is it that startling coincidences and extraordinarily rare events actually happen all the time? Statistician David Hand reveals The Improbability Principle, aiming to change your perspective on how the world works. He explores why Apple made their song shuffling less random to make it seem more random and how the truly unusual day would actually be the one where nothing unusual happened at all!
During the last ice age, we hunted giant woolly mammoths and gathered berries: but as the ice departed, so did our way of life. Evolutionary biologists Ian Barnes and Greger Larson look at how the world changed, and us with it — how our ancestors became entangled with domestic animals, settled new regions and began the journey to the world we see around us today.
HEALTH
WILKO JOHNSON: CANCER–FREE CURRENT AFFAIRS
FEMINISM, SEXISM AND BRINGING UP GIRLS TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 3-4PM, £9
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The fight for women’s rights is far from over, with overt misogyny commonplace in today’s social media and the glass ceiling still firmly in place. What pressures do young women face? What is the psychological impact? And how do we raise young women to enter the modern world? Psychologist Tanya Byron, feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, journalist Tanith Carey and surgeon Gabriel Weston discuss feminism, sexism and bringing up girls.
WINTON CRUCIBLE 4.30-5.30PM, £9 LIFE
QUANTUM BIOLOGY EDF ENERGY ARENA 4-5PM, £8
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The strange theory of quantum mechanics — where tiny particles behave in extraordinary, counter-intuitive ways — is fundamental to chemistry and physics, but could it also be fundamental to biology too? Physicists Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe McFadden give us an update on what’s new and exciting in the fast moving field of quantum biology and the role it plays in the natural world.
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‘I’m supposed to be dead now.’ So said Wilko Johnson, after terminal cancer put a clock on his life. Subsequent re-diagnosis and pioneering surgery have now given him the all-clear: but what does a death sentence do to a person? And how do you come to terms with life again? Libby Purves interviews Wilko about living with being cancer-free, joined by Emmanuel Huguet — the surgeon who saved his life. ENTERTAINMENT
THE CHAOS CABARET TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 5.30-6.30PM, £8
S137
Chaos is all around us. It’s behind stock market fluctuations, traffic jams and inaccurate weather forecasting — which may or may not be related to butterflies flapping around somewhere. Meet Frank Burnet and crew: your representatives from the Ministry of Chaos. Hear an original score and toy with a side order of physics in this appropriately chaotic extravaganza. SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
Robert Grosseteste (c.1170-1253)
ENTERTAINMENT SPACE
JED MERCURIO: CRITICAL
A CURIOSITY FOR MARS EDF ENERGY ARENA 6-7PM, £8
WINTON CRUCIBLE 6.30-7.30PM, £9
S138
Mars is our nearest neighbour, but how do we get a better look at it? Land a 1 tonne, car-sized, laser-eyed nuclear powered robot laboratory named Curiosity on its surface, that’s how! Since 2012, the rover has been tasting, vaporising and rolling over the martian landscape. Join Sanjeev Gupta, Peter Grindrod and John Bridges to get the latest on the red planet from Curiosity.
HISTORY
ROBERT GROSSETESTE: THE GREATEST MIND YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF HELIX THEATRE 6-7PM, £8
TONY JUNIPER: WHAT NATURE DOES FOR BRITAIN PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE, CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE 6-7PM, S139 £8
Britain is rich in ‘natural capital’ — woodlands, water supplies, bees and productive soils. Yet our economic ideas don’t take into account the free work nature does for us, with intensive farming, bog drainage and canal creation robbing us of our economic ecosystem. Let former director of Friends of the Earth Tony Juniper show us how we can support natural Britannia instead of the other way around. FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
Set in a major trauma centre, Critical has been credited with reviving the medical drama, with compelling real-time depictions of a team of doctors struggling to save lives that hang in the balance. Acclaimed writer and former hospital doctor Jed Mercurio joins Gabriel Weston to discuss how his own medical background and training have informed his creative process and enabled him to take the genre into exciting new territory.
S140
Bishop of Lincoln, political advisor, poet, theologian, philosopher, translator and scientist: Robert Grosseteste (c.1170-1253) was an extraordinary thinker. His view of the universe was revolutionary — and his role in the development of the scientific method was key. Historian Giles Gasper, physicist Tom McLeish and psychologist Hannah Smithson introduce the medieval polymath and explore how his wonderful imagination is still inspiring modern day science. NATURE
S141
ENTERTAINMENT
LET’S GET QUIZZICAL: THE SCIENCE PUB QUIZ TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM 7.30-9.30PM, £8
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Think you know your Rosetta from your Curiosity, your flux lines from your flux capacitors and your Dionysus from your Deinonychus? Then try your hand at our Pub Quiz! Host Karl Byrne strains your synapses with questions on the Big Bang to the end of the universe; science fact, science fiction and everything in between.* *May not include EVERYTHING. The universe is pretty big.
Over 18s only The bar will be open during this event and there is no need to bring a whole team
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SUNDAY 7 JUNE
HISTORY
NATURE
ROBERT WINSTON: MEDICINE AND RENAISSANCE ART
PENGUINS, NARWHALS AND OTHER REALLY COOL ANIMALS
HELIX THEATRE 8-9PM, £8
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From Galileo-influenced depictions of the moon and da Vinci’s studies of the human skull, to the representation of scientific instruments and people with disabilities, Renaissance art has much to tell us about the medicine and science of the time. Robert Winston examines some classical works of art, revealing some of the surprising hidden (and not so hidden) stories in the paintings.
WINTON CRUCIBLE 8.30-9.30PM, £8
I M A F N E V E
S145
Covered in snow with chilling temperatures year-round, Antarctica and the Arctic seem utterly inhospitable: but many animals thrive there and in the surrounding icy seas. Zoologists Lucy Cooke and Rory Wilson and biologist Simon Watt uncover six really cool animals — from penguins and seals, to narwhals and moose and polar bears and walruses — that inhabit the polar tundras.
FAMILY WORKSHOP
THE GREAT COSMIC KITCHEN CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE KITCHENS 10-11.15AM AGES 7-10 SF11 12NOON-1.15PM AGES 7-10 SF12 2-3.15PM AGES 11-13 SF13 £8
BACK TO THE FUTURE
MARCUS CHOWN: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TIME TRAVEL EDF ENERGY ARENA 8-9PM, £10
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Whether by TARDIS, DeLorean or H.G. Wells’ time machine, the ability to travel through time has fascinated us all, but will it ever become reality? Remarkably, time travel is not ruled out by the laws of physics. So why aren’t we being visited by tourists from the future? Join Marcus Chown on a journey to the edge of our understanding. SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
What can baking (yes, baking!) teach us about how the universe was created or what dark matter is? Explore the cosmos from the kitchen in this hands-on, mouthwatering workshop. From baking planets to travelling back to the Big Bang in a microwave, cosmologist Roberto Trotta shows you the fascinating — and edible — world of astrophysics!
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094 CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
ILY NTS
FAMILY
THE POWER OF SLOTH
FAMILY
HELIX THEATRE 12NOON-1PM £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 7+
WONDERSTUFF WINTON CRUCIBLE 10.30-11.30AM £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 8+
SF15
Join chemist Andrea Sella and materials engineer Mark Miodownik as they explore the scientific wonders of the common ‘stuff’ we take for granted. From the everyday of batteries and glass to the new age of graphene and aerogels — with lots of demonstrations, watch them take the world apart and (hopefully) put it back together again.
SF17
Sloths live life in the slow lane, but are far from being lazy and stupid: they have a winning strategy in the evolutionary arms race. The Power of Sloth author and founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society Lucy Cooke shares the secrets of the sloth’s quirky biology and shows we have much to learn from the sleepy king of the jungle. Warning: will contain serious cuteness. FAMILY
UP, UP AND AWAY WINTON CRUCIBLE 12.30-1.30PM £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 4+
Kevin is a cheeky tiny spec of dust, but he is unhappy: he thinks he is ugly and no one loves him. To see just how important he really is, he and his friend Nic Harrigan take to the skies — join them to discover the dusty secrets behind rainbows, clouds, snow and beyond.
FAMILY
MARTY JOPSON’S BUBBLEOLOGY EDF ENERGY ARENA 10-11AM £6 IDEAL FOR ALL AGES
SF14
The One Show’s Marty Jopson is always blowing bubbles — little ones, big ones, flaming ones, smokey ones and even ones that explode! Join him in a slippery, soapy world as he investigates what is really going on inside. Where do the colours come from? How long can a bubble last and why do they pop? Washing up liquid will never seem the same again! This show contains loud bangs
SF18
FAMILY
DINOSAUR WARS! EDF ENERGY ARENA 12NOON-1PM £6 IDEAL FOR ALL AGES
FAMILY SF16
Never mind the natural history — what you really want to know about dinosaurs is how well they could fight! Which was the strongest? Which was the smartest? Which had the best defence? Using the very latest facts from world expert Phil Manning, find out if T. rex was really the king and which one would win a big dino showdown.
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
A TRIP TO MARS HELIX THEATRE 2-3PM £6 IDEAL FOR AGES 12+
SF19
It’s the year 2040 and flight EM1701 to Mars is ready to depart! Flight Captain Suze Kundu and First Officer Simon Foster take you through the safety briefing: how to deal with g-forces on take-off, what to do in the event of a meteor strike — and what to expect when you reach your Martian destination... Enjoy your hypersleep!
WHO WILL WIN THE SCIENCE WORLD CUP? FameLab is basically the World Cup of science communication. Established in 2005 by Cheltenham Science Festival, FameLab is now a global competition. The 2015 International Finals will see wannabe science stars from 27 different countries get on their metaphorical soapbox to entertain and educate. Competitors have just three minutes to win over the audience before facing a panel of judges for further interrogation. Talks can be on science, technology, or engineering and the winner is the participant who delivers the most interesting and accurate content, with the utmost clarity and charisma.
Semi-Finals: Wednesday 3 June, Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre 11AM-12.30PM, S020 1.30-3PM, S021 4-5.30PM, S022 Grand Final: Thursday 4 June, EDF Energy Arena 8.30-10.30PM, S070
These 27 finalists have each survived regional and “You laugh a lot, you learn a lot and, while national heats to make it to Cheltenham Science no two participants ever do it the same Festival. Now watch as they battle it out to be way, they’re all FameLabulous…” named FameLab International Champion 2015. Quentin Cooper, FameLab Host
facebook.com/FameLabInternational famelabuk #famelab
cheltenhamfestivals.com/famelab
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EDUCATION
SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS Thousands of children and young people will get hands-on with the latest technologies, and experience science at its most exciting through the Science for Schools programme. There is so much to see and do, and most will be making a day of it.
“It is such an amazing experience for the children, and a fantastic range of activities. It helps to raise the profile of science, and we love the idea of a covered lunch area too. Just a brilliant Festival.” Science Leader, Swindon Village Primary School.
LabLive Look out for us in a town near you! We tour the best of the Science Festival every year, entertaining and inspiring Key Stage 3 students across the country. FameLab Academy Why is the sky blue? What are tonsils for? Why are triangles the best shapes? Could you answer these questions in just three minutes? FameLab Academy, the first competition of its kind, equips Year 9 students with the skills and confidence to do just this.
To find out more visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/scienceforschools With thanks to our Education Partners: EDF Energy, Cheltenham Ladies' College, GE UK, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, L'Oréal, Royal Holloway, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Science Oxford, Siemens, Spirax Sarco Charitable Trust, University of Hull, University of Warwick.
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PATRONS
Join this exclusive group of supporters and make a real difference to our artistic programming and education work
• • •
Dedicated ticket line with advance booking Access to hospitality areas at the Literature and Jazz Festivals Invitations to special events and parties throughout the year
From £67 per month, your patronage covers all four Festivals. To find out more please contact Arlene McGlynn, Patrons Manager on 01242 537252 arlene.mcglynn@cheltenhamfestivals.com or visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/patrons
We would like to thank our Patrons for their generous support including those who have chosen to remain anonymous: Life Patron Mark and Sue Blanchfield Peter and Anne Bond Dominic and Jannene Collier Michael and Felicia Crystal Colin and Suzanne Doak The Eaton Family Charles Fisher David and John Hall Jeremy and Germaine Hitchins Family Jonathan and Cassinha Hitchins Family Stephen and Tania Hitchins Family Elizabeth and Michael Jones Mr and Mrs Richard Jones Steven and Linda Jones Hugh and Sue Koch Robert and Moira Leechman Hazel and Jeremy Lewis Graham and Eileen Lockwood Fiona McLeod The McWilliam family in loving memory of Ruth McWilliam Keith Norton and Piers Norton John and Susan Singer Simon Skinner and Jean Gouldsmith Skinner Mark and Elizabeth Philip-Sørensen Andrew Smith Chris and Bridgette Sunman Fiona and David Symondson Ludmila and Hodson Thornber The Walker Family Platinum Patron Mike and Kerry Alcock Jack and Dora Black Jennifer Bryant-Pearson Andrew Chard Michael and Angela Cronk Nigel and Sally Dimmer George and Cynthia Dowty Margaret Headen Simon and Emma Keswick
The Kilvington Family Sir Peter and Lady Marychurch Hayden and Tracy McKinnes Des and ChiChi Mills Howard and Jay Milton The Oldham Foundation Adrian and Lizzie Portlock Dr Gill Samuels CBE Peter Stormonth Darling Charitable Trust Peter and Alison Yiangou Gold Patron Christopher Bence Stephen and Victoria Bond Charlie Chan Stuart and Gillian Corbyn Wallace and Morag Dobbin Peter and Sue Elliott Maurice Gran and Carol James Stephen Hodge Lord and Lady Hoffmann Anthony Hoffman and Dr Christine Facer Hoffman Elizabeth Jacobs Keith Jago Brian Key Steven King Sir Michael and Lady McWilliam Janet and Charles Middleton Paul and Kathy Mottershead The Helena Oldacre Trust Ian and Sarah Passmore Shelley and Paul Roberts Sharon and Toby Roberts Esther and Peter Smedvig Andy and Ali Stalsberg Phil and Jennifer Stapleton Meredithe Stuart-Smith Giles and Michelle Thorley Diego Vargas Michael and Rosie Warner Steve and Eugenia Winwood Festival Patron Kate Adie Sir John and Lady Aird
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
David and Zany Anton-Smith Nicholas and Caroline August Margaret Austen Paula and David Baldwin Alison Besterman Michael H Bond Paul and Ruth Brake Jonathan and Daphne Carr Alex Chalk Mark Chard Andrew and Jan Clift Simon Collings Jim and Ita Connell Mr and Mrs Andrew and Jacqueline Coyle Lady Curtis Aynsley Damery Michael Dearden Debra Drew and Nigel Browne Simon Firkins Carol and Isabella Freeman Clive and Stella Gardner Dr and Mrs Freddie Gick Professor A C Grayling Jeremy and Alison Halliday Alex and Hattie Hambro Roger and Jane Hanks Sam and Sarah Hanks Tim Hart Mr and Mrs Riff Heber-Percy Mark Heywood Diane and Mark Hill Mike and Judie Hill Marianne Hinton Andrew and Caroline Hope Jeff and Keren Iliffe Pip Isherwood Mr and Mrs JNP Kirkpatrick Rosemary MacDonald Juliet and Jamie McKelvie Professor Keith Millar and Professor Margaret Reid Aidan and Alexa Mills-Thomas Mr and Mrs Philip Monbiot Professor Angela Newing Aisling O’Connell Robert Padgett Ian Paling John Parkins and Adrienne Loftus Parkins Sir David and Lady Pepper Leslie Perrin Hugh Poole-Warren Jonathon Porritt Mr Ron Roet & Mrs Monique Roet-Matray Patricia Routledge CBE Jan and Gill Rowe Khal and Zoe Rudin Elizabeth Saunders Lavinia Sidgwick Sharon Studer and Graham Beckett Jonathan and Gail Taylor Robert and Julia Van Gils Paul D. Voyce Mr and Mrs JLC Ward Robert and Carolyn Warr Brian Watson George and Marian Whittaker Professor Lord Winston Richard and Fiona Yorke
SUPPORT US
PLEASE MAKE A DONATION WHEN YOU BOOK Cheltenham Festivals is a not-for-profit organisation. In addition to Arts Council support, we depend on donations, sponsorship and gifts in wills to bring the arts and sciences live to audiences, support emerging talent, and deliver inspirational educational programmes. If you are passionate about our work then please consider making a donation when booking your tickets. Every gift, no matter what size, is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
£10
could contribute to our education work which is the heartbeat of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival, with thousands of young people discovering fascinating facts and engaging with scientists.
£25
could give an emerging scientist the opportunity to explore and debate ideas at the Festival, helping them to develop their talent.
cheltenhamfestivals.com/support-us
£50
can help to provide transport and tickets for schoolchildren who would not otherwise be able to take part in our inspirational Science for Schools programme.
Registered charity no. 251765
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Festival Director Jane Furze Head of Programming Gina Collins Festival Manager and Acting Head of Programming Ashley Kent Senior Programme Coordinator Karl Byrne Festival Coordinator Luiza Patorski Festival Assistant Penelope Hill Development Managers Sarah Rawlings Sarah Stewart With many thanks to all the staff at Cheltenham Festivals, those at each venue and the Festival volunteers, all of whom provide invaluable support and help make the Festival a success. Cheltenham Festivals Board of Trustees Peter Bond - Chair Dominic Collier - Vice Chair Susan Blanchfield Lewis Carnie Oli Christie Prof Russell Foster CBE (Chair of Science Festival) Edward Gillespie OBE Prof Averil Macdonald Baroness Gail Rebuck Dr Diane Savory OBE Margaret Austen - Company Secretary
Festival Advisory Group Prof Jim Al-Khalili Andrew Cohen Quentin Cooper Dr Kevin Fong Timandra Harkness Mark Henderson Dr Roger Highfield Prof Mark Lythgoe Prof Mark Maslin Prof Mark Miodownik Vivienne Parry Prof Alice Roberts Dr Adam Rutherford Dr Gill Samuels OBE Prof Andrea Sella Elaine Snell Prof Kathy Sykes The Times Cheltenham Science Festival is presented by Cheltenham Festivals, a company limited by guarantee. Registered Office 28 Imperial Square Cheltenham GL50 1RH
Company No. 456573 Charity No. 251765 VAT Registration No. 100114013 Main Switchboard No. 01242 511211 Contact If you have specific comments about any aspect of the Festival, please email science@cheltenhamfestivals.com Photography Credits Visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/photos for a full photo credit list.
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
46/47 If you require this brochure in large print format please call 01242 511211.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Associate Partners
Event and in-kind supporters
In-Kind Partner
Marketing Partner
Media Partners
7-12 June 2016 DON’T MISS THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL NEXT YEAR! More from Cheltenham Festivals in 2015: Cheltenham Jazz Festival 29 April – 4 May 2015 Cheltenham Music Festival 30 June – 11 July 2015 The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2-11 October 2015
BOOKING INFORMATION
MEMBERS’ PRIORITY BOOKING: FROM 1PM, 15 APRIL 2015 PUBLIC BOOKING: FROM 1PM, 22 APRIL 2015
QUICKER AND EASIER BOOKING Create a Wish List before booking opens – from 28 March. Find out all about Wish Lists at cheltenhamfestivals.com/wishlists HOW TO BOOK cheltenhamfestivals.com
GETTING TO THE TIMES CHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL Cheltenham is easily accessible from all over the UK, by road and rail. Most events take place on the main Festival site, located in central Cheltenham at the Town Hall and Imperial Gardens. Most other venues are within walking distance.
0844 880 8094 (5p per minute at all times from BT landlines, mobile charges vary)
Before the Festival: CF Ticketing, 15 Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham, GL50 2AE
For more information on public transport and car parks go to cheltenhamfestivals.com/ your-visit
During the Festival: Festival Site Box Office, Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA For full details about Box Office opening hours, in person and telephone ticket sales, booking fees, terms & conditions and Membership, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/booking If you have any special access requirements, such as needing to book a wheelchair space, you can book using our online form which will be available from 28 March at cheltenhamfestivals.com/booking
POSTCODES Cheltenham Town Hall GL50 1QA Imperial Gardens GL50 1QA Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre GL50 3AA Cheltenham Ladies’ College Kitchens GL50 3EP Cheltenham Minster, St Mary’s GL50 3PL Cheltenham College GL53 7LD
Charity No. 251765