1. science

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
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.
In Association with
Principal Partners
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.
Major Partners
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.
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
FameLab Partner
Festival Partners
“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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Exclusive member events
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:
Find the pack that suits you.
Sign up at
thetimes.co.uk/cheltenham
0800 028 2577
UK residents only, aged 18 or over. Offers are subject to availability. New and eligible existing members. You may cancel your membership within 14 days of your membership start date without giving any reason and we will refund all
payments received from you. To cancel please call our Member Services team on 0800 018 5177. We reserve the right to change the membership price and/or benefits with 30 days’ notice. If you default on any payment, we may take
whatever action necessary to recover any unpaid sums. Full Membership and Cancellation Terms can be found at store2.thetimes.co.uk and will be attached to your welcome email or sent by post if requested. Your membership is with
Times Newspapers Limited (publishers of The Times and The Sunday Times).
Science Festival V
Variety
ariety Night, Friday 5 June, 8.30pm, EDF Energy Arena
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GuestMi,
Director
Steve Backshall
a sensational
of Festival
speakers join
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to bring you
an evening
of inspiration,
laughs,
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and spectacular
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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
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appointed Professor for Public Engagement in Science at Manchester University. Join
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Brian et
as he
talks
about
particle
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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
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.
IMPERIAL SQUARE
CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE
KITCHENS
DANCE STUDIO
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
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
BBC presenters and producers from your
favourite shows. Full programme online at
cheltenhamfestivals.com/bbc-science-zone
BOX OFFICE
Open daily until the last event of each day
EARLY YEARS DISCOVER ZONE
Free interactive zone
St Andrew’s Church
Suitable for under 7s
Sat 6 June 10am-4pm
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
DISCOVER ZONE
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
TOWN HALL
FOOD & DRINK
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.
PILLAR ROOM
PROMENADE
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
Free interactive zone
Suitable for all ages
Open Sat 6 & Sun 7 June, 10am-6pm
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.
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
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
IMPERIAL SQUARE
[GE logo]
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
EARLY YEARS DISCOVER ZONE,
ST ANDREW'S CHURCH
IMPERIAL SQUARE
8/9
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.
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.
FREE
INTERACTIVE
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
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
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
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.
10/11
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.
FREE
INTERACTIVE
ZONE
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
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
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
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
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.
12/13
FREE
INTERACTIVE
ZONE
GE PAVILION
UNIVERSITY
OF WARWICK
WHAT IF? ZONE
FREE
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
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?”
LATE NIGHT OPENING:
WED 3 & FRI 5 JUNE, 10AM-8.15PM
SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
FREE
Join us over
complimentary
wine and nibbles
to meet the experts
and discover more
in our Ideas
Café events.
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!
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
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
TUESDAY 2 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
PETE LARSON: T. REX APPEAL
6.30-7.30PM, S009
HEALTH
TREATING MENTAL
ILLNESS
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.
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
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.
DON’T
MISS
S003
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
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.
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.
HISTORY
WILL GREGORY’S BRIEF
HISTORY OF SYNTHS
WORKSHOP
HOW HACKERS HACK
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.
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
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
6-7PM, £7
EDF ENERGY ARENA
8.30-9.45PM, £10
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
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.
DROPPING THE BOMB:
WORLD-CHANGING
DECISIONS
ENTERTAINMENT
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE,
CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE
7.45-9.15PM
S015
£12
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
7-8PM
8.30-9.30PM
£12
TECHNOLOGY
TUESDAY 2 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
HOW TO FREEZE A HUMAN
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.
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.
*This is a Cheltenham Science Festival event
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.
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
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
HOPE FOR REPAIRING THE SPINE?
6.30-7.30PM, S034
ANNE GLOVER: SCIENCE
IN THE POLITICAL ARENA
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.
WINTON CRUCIBLE
2-3PM, £8
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.
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
WHAT’S UP WITH GRAVITY?
8.30-9.30PM, S047
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
‘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
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.
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
WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
WORKSHOP
TECHNOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
IDEAS CAFÉ
TECHNOLOGY
PHYSICS
ARDUINO PROGRAMMING
HACKING THE INTERNET
OF THINGS
HUMOUR AND HUMANITY:
WHAT'S THE
CONNECTION?
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
GE PAVILION
5.45-6.15PM
6.45-7.15PM
7.45-8.15PM
FREE
S030
S031
S032
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.
WINTON CRUCIBLE
6.30-7.30PM, £8
S035
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.
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.
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
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME
BBC SCIENCE ZONE*
6-7PM, FREE
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
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.
SIBLINGS AND PEERS:
MAKING YOUR LIFE A
MISERY?
BELL RINGING
S033
HEALTH
PSYCHOLOGY
MATHS
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
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.
WORKSHOP
MATHEMATICAL ORIGAMI
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
6.45-7.45PM
8.15-9.15PM
£12
HELIX THEATRE
8.30-9.30PM, £9
S038
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.
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.
All materials provided and no experience
necessary
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.
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
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
EDF ENERGY ARENA
2-3PM, £8
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.
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!
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.
S055
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
WINTON CRUCIBLE
4-5PM, £7
MYTH-BUSTING:
ALLERGIES
HEINZ WOLFF: INVENTOR
AND INNOVATOR
DON’T
MISS
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.
PHYSICS
EBOLA
2-3PM, S051
THURSDAY 4 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
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
THURSDAY 4 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
ENTERTAINMENT
TECHNOLOGY
THE SUMMERFIELD EVENT
SPACE
LIFE
THINKING OUTSIDE
THE BRAIN
GRAPHENE: MATERIAL OF
THE MODERN AGE?
HUMANITY: A
GEOLOGICAL
SUPERPOWER
SPACE: IS IT WORTH THE
MONEY?
HOW DID LIFE BEGIN?
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.
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.
WORKSHOP
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?
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.
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.
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.
IDEAS CAFÉ
S063
S064
BIG DATA OR BIG
BROTHER?
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME
BBC SCIENCE ZONE*
6-7PM, FREE
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
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
6.15-7.15PM, £8
BACK TO THE FUTURE
S065
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.
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.
HEALTH
ALICE ROBERTS:
MRI ANATOMY
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…
SITTING: THE LAZY
KILLER
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
SUGAR: THE SWEET
TRUTH
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
1.30-2.30PM, £7
S075
S073
HEALTH
‘You made a time machine out of a
DELOREAN?!’
HEALTH
DINOSAUR HUNTERS
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.
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.
GREAT SCOTT! BACK TO THE
FUTURE AT 30
6.30-7.30PM, S090
DINOSAURS
EDF ENERGY ARENA
2.15-3.15PM, £9
WINTON CRUCIBLE
12.30-1.30PM, £8
DON’T
MISS
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
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
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
SPACE
PSYCHOLOGY
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
BACK TO THE FUTURE
SEARCHING FOR ALIEN
INTELLIGENCE
WHY TAKE THE RISK?
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.
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.
CLOSE-UP SCIENCE
SIEMENS CURIOSITY ZONE
6.15-7.15PM
7.45-8.45PM
£10
ENTERTAINMENT
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!
SCIENCE FESTIVAL
VARIETY NIGHT
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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
EDF ENERGY ARENA
8.30-10PM, £15
SCIENCE QUESTION TIME
HELIX THEATRE
6.30-7.30PM, FREE
Explore today’s biggest debates, newest
discoveries and favourite Festival moments
with journalists from The Times and a
selection of the day’s speakers.
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!
WHISKY
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.
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
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
FULL MEMBERS GET 10% OFF MOST EVENTS, GO TO
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/MEMBERSHIP FOR DETAILS
S100
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
S099
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.
S092
FOOD & DRINK
GREAT SCOTT! BACK TO
THE FUTURE AT 30
MASS EXTINCTIONS
Over 18s only
The bar will be open during this event
ENTERTAINMENT
BACK TO THE FUTURE
DINOSAURS
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!
S098
30/31
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WHO OWNS YOUR
MEDICAL DATA?
TAXIDERMY: ALIVE AND KICKING
2-3.15PM, S106
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
10-11AM, £7
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.
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?
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.
HELIX THEATRE
10.15-11.15AM, £8
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.
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
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
MATHS
WORKSHOP
HEALTH
HISTORY
HEALTH
FRACTALS: INFINITELY
BEAUTIFUL
PROGRAMMING WITH
LEGO MINDSTORM
ROBOTS
THE EFFECTS OF
RECREATIONAL DRUGS
THE IMPRESSIONISTS: A
COLOURFUL LEGACY
HEALTH, LIES AND
VIDEOTAPE
HELIX THEATRE
4.15-5.15PM, £8
HELIX THEATRE
6.15-7.15PM, £7
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
7-8.30PM, £10
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.
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.
THE TREE OF LIFE
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE,
CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE
2.15-3.15PM,
S108
£9
A WORLD WITHOUT
ANTIBIOTICS
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
2.30-3.30PM, £8
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.
EDF ENERGY ARENA
6.15-7.15PM, £10
S114
The bar will be open during this event
In association with the Academy of Medical
Sciences
IDEAS CAFÉ
WHAT IF... ROBOTS ARE
OUR FUTURE?
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.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
STUFF MATTERS
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
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.
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
WHAT IF? ZONE
7.30-8.30PM, FREE
WINTON CRUCIBLE
4.15-5.15PM, £8
CURRENT AFFAIRS
STEVE BACKSHALL:
EXTREME EXPLORERS
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.
LIFE
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.
LIFE
S116
TECHNOLOGY
BITCOIN: THE FUTURE OF
MONEY?
TECHNOLOGY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
EX MACHINA: INSIDE
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
JEREMY FARRAR ON
TACKLING PANDEMICS
WINTON CRUCIBLE
6.15-7.15PM, £9
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?
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
SATURDAY 6 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
FAMILY
THIS SHOW IS TOTALLY
RANDOM
Y
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FA TS
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V
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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
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+
This event is weather dependent
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
FAMILY
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.
FAMILY
SPECTACULAR SEA
DRAGONS
WINTON CRUCIBLE
10-11AM,
£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
SF01
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.
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!
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE,
CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE
10.15-11.15AM,
SF07
£6 IDEAL FOR AGES 7+
STARGAZING
THE TIMES SCIENCE HUB
9.45-11PM, FREE
SF09
UGLY ANIMAL
PRESERVATION SOCIETY
OVER-AMBITIOUS DEMO
CHALLENGE 2015
WINTON CRUCIBLE
8.45-10PM, £10
HELIX THEATRE
12.15-1.15PM,
£6 IDEAL FOR AGES 10+
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!
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
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
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.
NATURE
DOGS: THEIR SECRET
LIVES
UNIVERSE
WATER: THE ELEMENT
OF LIFE
HELIX THEATRE
10-11AM, £8
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.
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
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
Robert Grosseteste (c.1170-1253)
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.
ENTERTAINMENT
SPACE
EDF ENERGY ARENA
6-7PM, £8
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.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
S132
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.
HISTORY
ROBERT GROSSETESTE:
THE GREATEST MIND
YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
HELIX THEATRE
6-7PM, £8
WINTON CRUCIBLE
4.30-5.30PM, £9
LIFE
QUANTUM BIOLOGY
EDF ENERGY ARENA
4-5PM, £8
S134
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.
S136
‘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.
THE CHAOS CABARET
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
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TONY JUNIPER:
WHAT NATURE DOES FOR
BRITAIN
PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE,
CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE
6-7PM,
S139
£8
ENTERTAINMENT
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
5.30-6.30PM, £8
NATURE
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
S141
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.
WILKO JOHNSON:
CANCER–FREE
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
3-4PM, £9
WINTON CRUCIBLE
6.30-7.30PM, £9
S138
HEALTH
FEMINISM, SEXISM AND
BRINGING UP GIRLS
JED MERCURIO: CRITICAL
A CURIOSITY FOR MARS
ENTERTAINMENT
LET’S GET QUIZZICAL:
THE SCIENCE PUB QUIZ
TOWN HALL, PILLAR ROOM
7.30-9.30PM, £8
S142
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
40/41
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
HISTORY
NATURE
ROBERT WINSTON:
MEDICINE AND
RENAISSANCE ART
PENGUINS, NARWHALS
AND OTHER REALLY COOL
ANIMALS
HELIX THEATRE
8-9PM, £8
S143
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
MARCUS CHOWN: A
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO
TIME TRAVEL
EDF ENERGY ARENA
8-9PM, £10
Y
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FAMILY
S144
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
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.
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.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
SUNDAY 7 JUNE
BOX OFFICE 0844 880 8094
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM/SCIENCE
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+
FAMILY WORKSHOP
FAMILY
THE GREAT COSMIC
KITCHEN
MARTY JOPSON’S
BUBBLEOLOGY
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
EDF ENERGY ARENA
10-11AM
£6 IDEAL FOR ALL AGES
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!
This show contains loud bangs
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.
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!
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!
42/43
EDUCATION
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
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.
facebook.com/FameLabInternational
famelabuk #famelab
cheltenhamfestivals.com/famelab
44/45
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
[email protected] 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
46/47
If you require this
brochure in large
print format please
call 01242 511211.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Associate Partners
The Times Cheltenham Science
Festival is presented by
Cheltenham Festivals, a company
limited by guarantee.
Registered Office
28 Imperial Square
Cheltenham GL50 1RH
Event and in-kind supporters
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
[email protected]
In-Kind Partner
Marketing Partner
Media Partners
Photography Credits
Visit
cheltenhamfestivals.com/photos
for a full photo credit list.
7-12 June 2016
DON’T MISS THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL NEXT YEAR!
SEARCH USING THE Quickfind Code AT
CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS.COM TO FIND YOUR EVENT INSTANTLY
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