A key event in the UK’s scientific calendar, the 191st British Science Festival is hosted by De Montfort University (DMU), in partnership with the British Science Association (BSA). It offers a vast array of free events, performances and installations with a scientific twist – celebrating the people, stories and ideas at the heart of science.
Recognising the outstanding collaborative science and innovation achievements across Leicester and Leicestershire, the University of Leicester, Loughborough University, Morningside Pharmaceutical and Leicester City Council are also Festival partners with events organised by all three universities and the BSA taking place throughout Leicester, both in the city centre and on the DMU campus.
Loughborough’s events are:
The pain problem
Wednesday 14 September, 3pm
Vijay Patel Building, Lecture Theatre 4.05, DMU
We all experience pain, but do we understand why?
Join Roger Newport (School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences) to learn about how the brain makes sense of the signals from our body and how that influences how our bodies feel.
For further details and to book online, visit the BSF website.
Mind-bending body illusions
Thursday 15 September, 6pm
Leicester Museum and Art Gallery
The way we see our own body is built from sensory signals which mean it can feel very different to how it appears from the outside. Using mind-bending body illusions, Roger Newport invites you to experience how these illusions can inform our understanding of the mind’s perception of our bodies while providing practical research to help people in the real world.
This is a drop-in event – no need to book.
How can we produce fuels and chemicals without costing the earth?
Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 September, 9.30am-6pm
High Cross Shopping Centre (East Square, Lower Level)
Loughborough’s SlowCat team of scientists and engineers are transforming biomass into fuel and many everyday items with the help of special new catalysts – from woodchip to liquid fuel, corn husk to shampoo, algae to trainers and even ice cream to bio-plastic fabrics.
Drop in and meet the team – no need to book.
Life through a Lens – Family engagement event
Saturday 17 September, 9am-12.30pm
Queen’s Building, DMU
Loughborough’s Physicists invite you to explore the science of imaging and find out it can help us to live and work more sustainably, stay healthy and explore the secrets of the universe.
Join the team for a morning of light painting, pinhole camera construction, kaleidoscopes, have your own infrared portrait taken – and much more.
Events are scheduled throughout the day and into the evening from 13 to 17 September and while all tickets for the British Science Festival are completely free, spaces are limited so booking is essential for most events. The full programme can be found on the British Science Festival website.