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| The British Science Festival | The British Science Festival |
| (about 15 hours later) | |
| The 2009 British Science Festival is underway. Our Gossip Girl Sue Nelson will be sending us the latest scientific titbits in her daily reporter's log. You can also catch Sue each evening in Guildford as she reviews all the goings on in the X-Change, a regular and very popular feature at the festival. | The 2009 British Science Festival is underway. Our Gossip Girl Sue Nelson will be sending us the latest scientific titbits in her daily reporter's log. You can also catch Sue each evening in Guildford as she reviews all the goings on in the X-Change, a regular and very popular feature at the festival. |
| MONDAY 07 SEPTEMBER - ACCESS ALL AREAS | |
| The advantage of a science-festival equivalent of a backstage pass is that you can pop in and out of sessions. | |
| In "Gardening for wildlife" I learnt about the Bugs project (Biodiversity of Urban Gardens in Sheffield) and that "growing Busy Lizzies and petunias should be a crime". | |
| After missing the start, I can only assume that the crime was related to a later statement that - when it comes to plants attracting wildlife (and like many other things in life) - bigger is undoubtedly better. | |
| In the lecture theatre next door, "What computers tell us about the mind" reminded the audience that no-one has yet claimed the $100,000 Loebner Prize for artificial intelligence. | |
| The prize is for the first computer that passes the Turing Test. If this happens, its responses will be indistinguishable from a human's and the computer will be said to be thinking. | |
| The test is named after the founder of modern computing, British mathematician Alan Turing. Brought up in Guildford, Turing's statue can be seen striding across a concrete concourse at the University of Surrey. | |
| Usually at some stage of the year - no doubt after exams - the statue occasionally sports a traffic cone. Or, so I'm reliably informed, two strategically placed coconuts and a grass skirt. | |
| At some point during the festival, Turing may also be wearing a pink X-Change T-shirtÂ… But this will have nothing to do with me. Honest. | |
| SUNDAY 06 SEPTEMBER - ...BY NUMBERS | SUNDAY 06 SEPTEMBER - ...BY NUMBERS |
| The X-Change team is star struck. After getting lost during our campus familiarisation tour, we found ourselves mid-way between Robert Winston's moustache and the equally hirsute Dick and James Strawbridge, from BBC2's It's Not Easy Being Green. | The X-Change team is star struck. After getting lost during our campus familiarisation tour, we found ourselves mid-way between Robert Winston's moustache and the equally hirsute Dick and James Strawbridge, from BBC2's It's Not Easy Being Green. |
| One of the volunteers squealed with delight: "I can't believe I'm seeing so much celebrity facial hair!" | One of the volunteers squealed with delight: "I can't believe I'm seeing so much celebrity facial hair!" |
| Unfortunately "Going Green with the Strawbridges" clashed with my chosen session: Why do journalists love stupid equations? | Unfortunately "Going Green with the Strawbridges" clashed with my chosen session: Why do journalists love stupid equations? |
| Writer Simon Singh delivered an entertaining and passionate plea for the media to respect mathematics instead of reporting stories that make mathematicians look trivial or bonkers. | Writer Simon Singh delivered an entertaining and passionate plea for the media to respect mathematics instead of reporting stories that make mathematicians look trivial or bonkers. |
| Singh's evidence was convincing. He began by offering an equation which proved, from first principles, that the Teletubbies were evil. | Singh's evidence was convincing. He began by offering an equation which proved, from first principles, that the Teletubbies were evil. |
| This was followed by a list of formulae which attracted widespread press interest, including equations for the perfect bra, joke, rugby kick, biscuit and penalty. | This was followed by a list of formulae which attracted widespread press interest, including equations for the perfect bra, joke, rugby kick, biscuit and penalty. |
| More often than not, these equations were commissioned by PR companies purely to promote a certain product. | More often than not, these equations were commissioned by PR companies purely to promote a certain product. |
| And so, in honour of the British Science Festival, I have devised an equation for the perfect science communicator, SC. | And so, in honour of the British Science Festival, I have devised an equation for the perfect science communicator, SC. |
| It is: | It is: |
| H = the number of hand gestures | H = the number of hand gestures |
| J = the brightness of a jacket | J = the brightness of a jacket |
| A = the number of times someone says "amazing" | A = the number of times someone says "amazing" |
| F = the amount of facial hair | F = the amount of facial hair |
| SATURDAY 05 SEPTEMBER - FROM THE ASHES... | SATURDAY 05 SEPTEMBER - FROM THE ASHES... |
| After Liverpool in 2008, Guildford is the host city for this year's British Science Festival - the artist formerly known as the British Association for the Advancement of Science Festival - or BA for short. | After Liverpool in 2008, Guildford is the host city for this year's British Science Festival - the artist formerly known as the British Association for the Advancement of Science Festival - or BA for short. |
| Being known as BA caused understandably confusion, so the festival's organisers have also rebranded into the British Science Association. Not least because no one enjoys receiving calls demanding: "I'm in terminal 5. Where's my bag?" | Being known as BA caused understandably confusion, so the festival's organisers have also rebranded into the British Science Association. Not least because no one enjoys receiving calls demanding: "I'm in terminal 5. Where's my bag?" |
| Different city. Different name. But the aim is the same: bringing science to the masses and a chance to admire Robert Winston's moustache in person. | Different city. Different name. But the aim is the same: bringing science to the masses and a chance to admire Robert Winston's moustache in person. |
| In honour of the festival, I've re-launched my Planet Earth podcast and researched some of Guildford's celebrity burials. Such as mathematician and Alice in Wonderland author, Lewis Carroll; Brave New World author Aldous Huxley and - er - Harry Secombe. | In honour of the festival, I've re-launched my Planet Earth podcast and researched some of Guildford's celebrity burials. Such as mathematician and Alice in Wonderland author, Lewis Carroll; Brave New World author Aldous Huxley and - er - Harry Secombe. |
| Aldous' grandfather, the polymath Thomas Huxley, once spoke at the science festival in 1860. He was also labelled "Darwin's bulldog" for defending Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. | Aldous' grandfather, the polymath Thomas Huxley, once spoke at the science festival in 1860. He was also labelled "Darwin's bulldog" for defending Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. |
| As part of the X-Change team, I too will apply bulldog-style determination, searching for the "best of the fest" (for our evening event) and the best gossip (for this page). | As part of the X-Change team, I too will apply bulldog-style determination, searching for the "best of the fest" (for our evening event) and the best gossip (for this page). |
| X-Change volunteers include graduates in neuroscience, astrophysics and mathematics. In return, they get to experience science communication in action and wear a bright pink T-shirt. | X-Change volunteers include graduates in neuroscience, astrophysics and mathematics. In return, they get to experience science communication in action and wear a bright pink T-shirt. |
| Their first lesson in the media is complete: draw attention to yourself and prepare to be humiliated. | Their first lesson in the media is complete: draw attention to yourself and prepare to be humiliated. |
| Sue Nelson hosts the X-Change at the Chancellors Bar, University of Surrey, at the British Science Festival Mon-Thu 7-10 September, 1800-1930 BST. | Sue Nelson hosts the X-Change at the Chancellors Bar, University of Surrey, at the British Science Festival Mon-Thu 7-10 September, 1800-1930 BST. |