Wellcome Trust-funded events at Brighton Science Festival
2 March 2011
Written by and starring Multi-BAFTA award winning comedian Austin Low, Zombie Science (4 March) is a lecture by 'Theoretical Zombiologist' Doctor Austin. The subject may be funny but the theories behind it are science fact, not science fiction! Find out how the science of genetics, prions and genetic engineering relate to the condition of Zombieism. Ensuring the science is deadly accurate are a team of scientists and researchers including Dr Kevin O'Dell, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics at the University of Glasgow.
Of all the nerve (6 March) explores the life of a neuron, from birth to death and beyond. Visitors are invited to become parts of the nervous system during the day, looking at how neurons develop within an embryo and change as we grow up, how we learn, and how a new generation of computers are being developed, inspired by neural networks.
Elsewhere, Laboratory Life (until 7 March) is an interactive art-science laboratory, exhibition and talks programme exploring the use of new technologies in biomedicine. Technology is revolutionising medicine – but does it also represent a threat to our humanity? Artists and scientists will collaborate to create new projects investigating this in an innovative, publicly accessible laboratory.
Finally, MUST the inside story (11 and 12 March) sees medicine and theatre colliding as legendary New Yorker Peggy Shaw takes us on a journey across the extraordinary landscape of her body accompanied by a live band, the Clod Ensemble. Renowned for her own gender-bending autobiographical work, Shaw recounts her extraordinary experiences of the medical profession from her current perspective as a 65-year-old lesbian grandmother. MUST weaves together Shaw's tales of giving birth on the way to Woodstock, her mother's electric shock treatment in 1950s America and the loss of a loved one, all backed by a powerful score and projected microscopic images.
All these events were funded via our Arts and People awards.
Further details for these events and ticket information can be found on the Brighton Science Festival website.
