Pint of Science Festival: Bringing science to Manchester’s pubs

THE PINT of Science Festival is returning to Manchester today with a free taster event for the public.

The festival offers people in cities across the world a chance take part in interactive scientific activities from the comfort of pubs and bars.

The taster event is open to all will take place tonight at Bluu, Manchester.

James Doherty, Pint of Science Manchester coordinator, said: “Anyone with a fairly decent science knowledge should be able to turn up and understand what’s going on at our events.”

The festival stemmed from an event in 2012 called ‘Meet the Researchers’ where two research scientists invited people with degenerative illnesses into their labs to show them what research they were doing. This encouraged them to move science away from their labs and into the community.

This year’s festival will run from 15 May to 17 May, in venues across Manchester. Each venue will host events covering a different theme.

Guests will be able to take part in “broad mix” of hands on activities and demonstrations ranging from robotics to drugs and medicines to bilingualism.

On why they teach science in pubs and bars, Mr Doherty, said: “They’re good meeting spaces. It’s what they’re designed for. They’re a relaxed environment and these are quite informal events.

“Anything that gets science and research to a slightly different audience is a really good thing. Our speakers get challenged by different sorts of questions that they might not get at an academic conference or something like that. It makes them think slightly differently about what they do.”

There are a variety of groups contributing to the festival including, the British heart foundation, whose event will teach people about how the heart works and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

The University of Manchester Physics Department, has organised an event called ‘Making Medicines’, to teach people about how drugs are discovered and developed.

Tickets for the Pint of Science Manchester events go on sale on Monday and can be purchased from the Pint of Science website.