Tuesday 30 June - Saturday 4 July 2009, Buxton, Derbyshire
Here’s a taster of just some of the fantastic activities at the event!
Become a crime scene investigator
Find out who took a bite out of the apple - study a range of evidence from the crime scene to help you solve the mystery! - Friday and Saturday
The science of fingerprinting
Young people will get the chance to record their own! - Every day
Solar powered cars
Build a solar model car and race. Students will have the opportunity to manufacture components of the car to improve performance i.e. front assembly, wheels and change the gear ratios of 3-speed gear box. - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Exploding custard!
An entertaining demonstration of do-it-yourself kitchen table science.
Dozens of simple but spectacular experiements! - Saturday
The kinetic theory
Demonstrations showing how liquid nitrogen can be used to change one state of matter to another – expect bubbles, bangs, spinning balls and much more! - Tuesday to Friday
Medical imaging
Meet imaging professionals and discuss science and careers. Handle equipment and become aware of radiation and the environment. Explore the use of ultrasound to find hidden artefacts. - Friday and Saturday
Medieval machines
See a range of machines that were first seen in medieval times - from clocks and windmills to a printing press. - Every day
Physics in sport
Watch demonstrations and take part in activities based on balance, forces, reactions and much more! - Tuesday to Friday
Chocolate frenzy - science in chocolate
Dipping, rolling, moulding and piping with chocolate to show how science is an integral part of the chocolate making process - Tuesday to Friday
Who wants to be a math-ionnaire?
An interactive gameshow to test your ability to answer mathematical questions on problem solving, lateral thinking, probability, and risk and uncertainty. - Every day
Adopt the festival mascot
The blue-footed Booby is a marine bird and is known to be a little clumsy when he ventures onto land. Adopt your own Booby bird from Galapagos Conservation Trust and help to protect this unique species. - Every day
Bone bonanza
Handle and identify skulls, skins and other animal parts - discuss the adaptations for survival and hear environmental stories about the amazing species. - Friday and Saturday
Darwin’s tank
A look at pond life and geological specimens from Darwin’s tank – a free standing tank containing water and sediments. - Every day
Darwin today
An interactive exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, which looks at how we still use his ideas – from breeding new crops and designing robots to questioning phenomena such as mass extinction and the rise of the super-bugs. - Every day
Evolution of mankind – past, present and future
Find out about the history of human evolution and Darwin’s initial idea about the mechanism of natural selection. - Every day
Extreme science!
An introduction to the conditions and problems of carrying out a science project in Antarctica - can you build a tent that can withstand an Antarctic storm? - Thursday / Friday
Fossil fuels and ‘flubber’
A look at energy with a focus on fossil fuels and their separation into solid, liquid and gas fractions. There will also be a chance to explore plastics and make some ‘flubber’ to take home! - Every day
Science in nursing and midwifery
Find out how nurses use their knowledge of science for understanding how the body works and use some of the equipment nurses use when caring for patients. - Saturday
Science for sustainability
Find out about the role of sustainable development in Kenya and play the sustainability game. - Friday
The Science of Life - with TV's Johnny Ball!
One of the most entertaining scientists and mathematicians, Johnny Ball gives his engaging take on 'The Science of Life' - from Darwin to DNA! - Saturday
Seconds from catastrophe!
Will the volcano erupt? If so, how dangerous will it be? Should you order an evacuation? What are the consequences if you do? Get the chance to act out a real-life scenario that took place in the Southfriere Hills Volcano, Mostserrat. - Tuesday
Tropical inc
An incredible journey into different environments such as the rainforest and meet some of the animals that live there. - Every day
Blown-up biology!
Be amazed as you witness images of live microscope specimens, and with the use of photographic images, sound-effects and atmospheric music, see the concept and nature of the cell, with a variety of spectacular living examples you can observe. - Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
Asteriods
Find out about the differences between asteroids, meteors and comets and perform experiments on asteroid impacts. - Tuesday
Dr Who
Time travel, journeys through wormholes, warp fields, curved space – it’s the stuff of science fiction. Or is it? - Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
Egyptian mathematics
Investigation into the use of maths in the ancient world including a look at the Egyptian number system, which uses simple hieroglyphs. - Wednesday
The great amateur astronomy exhibition
See the fantastic scientific contributions amateur astronomers make with just their eyes and a telescope. - Friday and Saturday
Herschel space telescope
Interactive show on the Herschel space telescope, how it works and some of the major discoveries made with it since it was built in 1981. - Tuesday - Friday
How to build a time machine
Take part in a range of hands-on activities looking at the nature of space and time, as described by Einstein and others. Use maths and physics to build a time machine and discuss the consequences of time travel. - Every day
Human space flight
Participate in some of the training used to select astronauts and explore the challenges on the human body. - Wednesday
Starry, starry night
Explore the night sky inside Jodrell Bank’s inflatable planetarium. Find out about the constellations you can see from your back garden at different times of the year and discover the legends behind them. - Wednesday and Thursday
Lab in a lorry
Try a range of hands-on experiments in this mobile physics laboratory including using sound to bend but not break a wine glass and using water to extract oil from rocks. - Saturday
Mars lander
Discover how astronauts travel and land on mars, and build a mars lander using a supply of materials and a water balloon. - Saturday
Moon landing exhibition
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing, find out more about the immense technological challenges faced in fulfilling President Kennedy's commitment to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth. - Every day
Preparing for orbit!
An introduction to our solar system and a description of what an orrery is and how it works! - Thursday and Friday