Category: Events
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EUSci at the Fringe 2017 / Skeptics on the Fringe
The Edinburgh Skeptics Society (ESS) is a non-profit organisation created in 2009 with the aim of promoting evidence-based scientific discussions and critical thinking, by having a lay-audience engage with speakers of diverse scientific backgrounds; from arts and humanities, to politics, biology, chemistry and beyond. The spirit of this organisation is well captured in their slogan…
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Regeneration: A Story of Becoming
Something special happens when you combine art and science. At first glance, or even first thought, it seems these two disciplines are separate entities. When combined however, the reality that both disciplines are rooted in the philosophy of discovery and understanding of the world comes shining through. The realisation of this and its ensuing beauty…
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Science on a summer’s evening 2017: Chemistry’s role in recovering metals from “urban mines”
When we think about metals like iron and gold or aluminium and zinc, we think of them as familiar and part of our everyday lives and therefore, to some extent, we take them for granted. But what if we spoke about metals such as dysprosium or gadolinium? These metals are as much a part of…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Is this the real life?
The expectations for “Is this the real life?” were high – it was the first sold out event for Pint of Science 2017 in Edinburgh. With a fascinating set of speakers and an interactive neuroscience & arts display by Edinburgh FUSION, the event fully lived up to its expectations. The first talk of the night…
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Interconnect Student Network Conference 2017: not your usual conference
Attending a conference where the majority of guests are aspiring female scientists is not a common occurrence. The Interconnect Student Network Conference organised by EQUATE Scotland is not your usual conference. It’s a celebration of female students in STEM subjects, and an opportunity to network with female STEM professionals and employers and learn new things.…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Language, the brain and dementia
The brain is a complex and mysterious entity. We desperately try to make sense of it by mapping its regions and dividing hemispheres into functional units. Yet, the distinct divisions remain elusive, measurements are approximations and “right-left” specialisation is closer to myth than reality. A Pint of Science evening dedicated to the brain aimed not…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Future of human-robot interaction and communications
Last Wednesday night, at the cosy downstairs space of the Safari Lounge, we watched the presentations of two passionate scientists discussing their work on how machines can learn to talk like humans, and how robots can learn to behave like humans. We played games and won prizes for the best questions and tweets. All this…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Big data doctors and nano nurses
Scientific advancements are gaining pace and continuously offering us new ways of dealing with a multitude of diseases. These innovations range from very big, such as big data, to very small, such as nanotechnologies. As a part of Pint of Science, a varied mix of enthusiastic members of the public gathered in The Safari Lounge,…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Parks & Recreation
“This windowless, stuffy room under the earth is actually my worst nightmare”, Professor Ward-Thompson starts off the first talk of the night. And she is right, the room is sweaty – the event is sold out and people are getting cosy, eager to see the screen. We soon find out why Prof. Catharine Ward-Thompson from…
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Pint of Science Edinburgh 2017: Our bodies in extreme environments
As I headed downstairs to the basement bar of Canons’ Gait, I wondered what on earth Olympic athletes and astronauts could have in common with intensive care and cancer patients. As it turns out, a startling amount. When we think of astronauts and athletes, we think of their victories and their superhuman fitness. We forget…