The Big Science Sunday

Speakers on Stage 1

Each talk will last 20-30 minutes, with a further 10-15 minutes for questions. Big Science Sunday is a huge day, so don't forget to check the entire page to see what is happening on the other stage, and in the arena...
12 Noon: ELECTRIC UNIVERSE David Bodanis The transistor is sixty years old. Thanks to its soaring development between then and now you have the same computing power sitting in your mobile phone as NASA used on the Apollo missions. David will talk about the transistor's invention, the extraordinary men behind it, the beginning of Silicon Valley and the start of the computer age. Winner of the 2006 Royal Society's Aventis Prize, for Science Book of the Year for, 'The Electric Universe'.
1.15pm: THE CORAL BAROMETER Steve Jones Steve is Professor of genetics at UCL, also Reith lecturer, broadcaster and author. He's one of the best known writers on evolution. His popular books show a wry, sometimes rather dark, sense of humour. ("Jones is the Alan Bennett of science" - Financial Times). His new book, 'Coral', explains brilliantly how we can see the health of the planet reflected in the health of coral.
2.30pm: BAD SCIENCE Ben Goldacre Ben is a London-based journalist and doctor. He writes a column, Bad Science, in The Weekend Guardian. He describes himself as "a serious f***-off academic ninja" but is actually a trained medical doctor with years of education in the sciences. He knows his stuff, so when he lays into scientific inaccuracy, health scares, pseudoscience and quackery, we must take him seriously. He is also very funny. His book is out in June, if he manages to finish it.
3.45pm: SCIENCE POETRY SLAM A slam with a twist! Hammer and Tongue regularly showcase new poetry, suffused with an energy, vibrancy and engagement that surprises newcomers into admitting that they actually do like poetry after all. This time they add the theme of science to spice up the acts. "The best live poetry is to be found at the Hammer & Tongue slam", Sunday Times. "Best poetry gig in Europe, hands-down", Buddy Wakefield, 2 x US Slam Champion. "Marvellous. This is the work of deviants", an audience member. Sponsored by Elekta and Arts & Business New Partners

Speakers on Stage 2

Stage 1 Speakers / The Arena / 3Rs Forum

Each talk will last 20-30 minutes, with a further 10-15 minutes for questions. Big Science Sunday is a huge day, so don't forget to check the entire page to see what is happening on the other stage, and in the arena...
12.30PM: THE DEATH OF THE SUN John Gribbin John Gribbin is a Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex, and author of more than a hundred books of popular science fact and fiction. His latest, THE UNIVERSE: A Biography, tells the story of how we got to be here, from the Big Bang right up to date. His talk focusses on the ultimate fate of the Sun, the Earth and the Solar System.
1.45pm: THE ELEMENTS OF MURDER John Emsley John is a leading science writer, famous for his knowledge of the elements and their curious and colorful histories. Here he offers an enticing combination of true crime tales and curious science that adds up to an addictive hour. Was Napoleon killed by the arsenic in his wallpaper? How did Rasputin survive cyanide poisoning? Which chemicals in our environment pose the biggest threat to our health today. "Emsley mines what he calls, 'the darker side of the periodic table', with consumate skill.", Dick Teresi, New York Times
3.00pm: THE AQUATIC APE Elaine Morgan Why is the 'naked ape' naked? Why, of all the ape families, do we have no hair? Elaine Morgan may have the answer. Her book, 'The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis', elegantly explains our hairlessness, as well as our subcutaneous fat and our upright posture - we may have spent part of our evolution as semi-aquatic, lake-side dwelling apes. It's a fascinating and convincing argument.
4.15pm: Take Your Chance in Life John Haigh 'Deal or No Deal' grips the nation. We're all Lottery-besotted. What is the attraction of gambling, and why should we all be wary? As gambling begins to wrap its tentacles around our minds, (football teams sponsored by online gambling websites?), John Haigh, gambling guru from the University of Sussex, sets us all right. Supported by Legal & General

Earlier in the Day - The 3Rs Forum

Stage 1 Speakers / Stage 2 Speakers / The Arena

3Rs FORUM (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse)
in association with Business Link

    10am-noon
    FREE to Big Science Sunday ticket holders.

    An ideas swap-shop aimed at businesses
    but all welcome.


In a couple of hours you can chat and swap contact details
with people who can help you...

* Get a free 'carbon audit'.
* Arrange a free 'water-usage audit'.
* Improve your existing buildings.
* Find reliable suppliers of e.g. solar panels, insulation, low-energy lighting.
* Find out how much energy saving measures will cost.
* Encourage colleagues to stop wasting resources.

The Science Festival have invited down-to-earth experts who will give five minute talks and then be available for one-to-one advice. Representatives include:

EDF Energy, Southern Water, Business Link, Rethink Rubbish, Magpie, Recycle Now, LCE (Brighton's Jubilee Library architects), Riomay Solar Heating, betre, ECSC, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Earthship Brighton, and Quintain Estates

Click here for more 3Rs Forum information

All Day - In the Arena

Stage 1 Speakers / Stage 2 Speakers / 3Rs Forum

British & Irish Meteorite Society A stunning array of meteorites from various parts of the solar system including the Moon and Mars. Try your hand at identifying a real meteorite from among ordinary earth rocks.
Creativity Cafe Did you ever wonder how inventors think of things to invent? How do scientists come up with new theories? Just what does it take to be THAT creative? Come along to the Creativity Cafe and try out some of the techniques researchers use to get their mental juices going - with Peter Childs, from the Centre for Excellence at the University of Sussex.
Walking With Robots Scientists from the University of The West of England and Sussex University bring along their latest research robots and talk about the cutting-edge work they are doing. Public concern about our new metal ‘friends’ is whipped up by science fiction, but what are the facts? Will these robots think? Will they have emotions? Will they take over the planet and write interesting sit-coms?
Aircraft Simulator Students at Northbrook college are trained to take up a career in the aircraft industry. Today, you can feel the pressure for yourself as you try out their sophisticated computers. Can we trust you to get a jumbo safely on to the ground?
Man in White Jem Stansfield was one of the stars of Channel 4's Men in White, has been a regular on Scrap Heap Challenge and more recently teamed up with Bill Bailey for the Wild Thing series. He'll be concocting who knows what and challenging the audience to do likewise. When we spoke to him on the phone recently he said something about the elastic properties of sink plungers and the art of caber tossing - watch this space...
Art Games Artist Rachel Cohen plays games with drawing and words. She uses these in experiments with cognitive scientists to investigate how our minds play tricks on us and influence what we see. Hear more about her current research and join an experiment.
The Flash-over James Roberts of the East Sussex Fire Service is here to save your life. In his special combustion chamber he demonstrates the flash-over – the moment when a smouldering sofa suddenly becomes a blazing inferno.
Pterrific Pterosaurs Pterosaurs from the University of Portsmouth pay a visit to Brighton for the first time in 65,000,000 years. David Martill, consultant on the BBC’s Walking with Dinosaurs programme, is here with genuinely awesome specimens and a wealth of stories from his ongoing search of the site in Brazil where pterosaurs are to be found in their hundreds.
A Chip Off the Old Block A paleontologist was recently examining a stone-age dwelling. He bent down to pick up a million year-old axe head, and cut his finger on it. Still sharp after all these years! It shows us that there is something to be said for the second oldest profession. Allan Course, Sussex’s finest modern cave-man, will be making flint blades, demonstrating human-kind’s first great technological breakthrough.
A Tool in Ten Minutes Why spend a whole day learning how to think outside the box when you can acquire the same skill during a tea-break? Paul Levy delivers the essential tool for creative decision-making in a ten minute workshop that could change your life (tea-break included). You can also catch Paul on Monday Feb. 19th at the Catalyst Club where he'll be teaching us all to speak our minds.
City Books The deservedly award-winning bookshop on Western Road brings a wide range of popular science books. Browse to your heart’s content.
Dowsing Works! Southern Water, among others, employ water diviners to search for leaks. You can test your scepticism right here as a genuine scientific experiment is performed in front of an expert scientific audience. Southern Water will also demonstrate more up-to-date methods for leak detection.
Speed Debating Speed debating is like speed-dating but this time you impress your partner with your intellect rather than your looks. For those who suffer from l’esprit d’escalier – realizing what you should have said in an argument when you’re halfway down the stairs having lost it – this session offers you a chance to learn some of the simple tricks of the trade that will help you score points in your next confrontation.
Energy Cells Peter Slater of the University of Surrey will demonstrate fuel cells, a future energy source that has got scientists all excited. Find out how they work and try out the kits Peter will be bringing along.
Thermal Solar Panels Award winning Riomay's advanced technology is responsible for some of the most efficient and cost-effective solar thermal heating installations in the UK. Riomay are reducing the cost of heating swimming pools for Aberdeen City Council, Bridgenorth Council, Brighton University and countless other commercial and domestic clients. Explore the technology - and if it's sunny, join our experiment outside.
Reducing, Re-using and Recycling Following the 3Rs Forum in the morning, in the afternoon you can... Meet representatives from Magpie and find out what they do with all the recycling they collect --- Chat to Melanie Rees, of World of Work - she visits schools, businesses, fairs and festivals, and gets creative with your junk --- Talk to ECSC to find out how they can work with you to develop ideas on renewable energy projects in your home and at work --- Check out the new EDF Energy smart-meter, it sits on your mantlepiece and shows you how much energy you're burning, and how much cash your wasting, minute by minute.
Nigel’s Ecostore Nigel sells environmentally friendly products for sustainable living, including recycled products, organic products, green products, and eco friendly toys and gifts, including solar chargers, organic skin and hair care products, eco wash balls, solar torches and car chargers, solar powered lighting, eco friendly bags, iPod cases, eco kettles and solar powered toys.