'One of busiest weekends' ever for Cambridge Science Festival - and more to come
It was one of the busiest weekends ever for Cambridge Science Festival as thousands of people took part in hands-on activities, met scientists and listened to fascinating talks.
From creating neurons with pipe cleaners and wool to raising heart rates by dancing to disco music, there was plenty for families to enjoy at the Guildhall and across university sites.
Dr Lucinda Spokes, festival manager, said: “The first weekend of the Cambridge Science Festival was one of our busiest on record. More than 5,500 people took part in hands-on experiments in the Guildhall over the weekend alone! Just before opening on Sunday, the queue to get in reached from the front door of the Guildhall down Petty Curry to Boots.
“One of the main delights of the weekend was having a special visit from actor Warwick Davis and his wife Sammy at the Guildhall on Saturday. People will know him from the 80s classic Willow and his roles in the Star Wars and Harry Potter films. Warwick visited the Discovering Sepsis exhibit as an ambassador of UK Sepsis Trust.
“What was especially gratifying is that there were so many different people from all ages and all walks of life visiting events last weekend – proving once more that science is not just for researchers in their labs, it’s for everyone. All of science has an impact on people’s lives and our aim is to share that impact and get people involved.”
The two-week festival, supported by the Cambridge Independent, concludes this weekend.
More than 130 free demonstrations, exhibits and talks about science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine are taking place across the city.
The Sky At Night’s Chris Lintott, from the University of Oxford, asks ‘Is the Milky Way special?’ in his talk on Friday night.
Cambridge Biomedical Campus will host a series of activities on Sunday, taking place at Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, Cancer Research UK’s Cambridge Institute and at Biomakespace at the Clifford Allbut Building, all from 11am to 4pm.
From discovering how your body works, how cancer research is evolving and a chance to talk to researchers, there will be something for all ages. Visitors can get hands-on with DNA and genetics and find out more about healthy diets. Reduced price parking in car park one on the campus has been arranged for those who can’t arrive on foot, bike or bus. On leaving take your unvalidated parking ticket to the car park customer service desk.
Visit sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk to see all the events.
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Our guide to the family events at the 2019 Cambridge Science Festival
