Interactive discussions between researchers and members of the public.
Held at KROBAR on Oxford Road at 6:00pm, on the last Wednesday of every month. Admission is free.
Cafe Scientique is designed to create a relaxed, informal atmosphere for researchers and the public get the chance chat to each other, hear talks from other researchers and take part in some fun activities. These events are for researchers from all disciplines.
Upcoming events
27 October 2010 – Death of the Sun, Albert Zijlstra
The death of a star triggers a cycle of evolution in which a new generation of stars is formed using matter ejected from the dying progenitor. All the planets and all life depend on this cycle of matter; it is a galactic ecology. We study the death of stars to understand the future death of the Sun, and the kind of stars which contributed to its birth.
24 November 2010 – Reproductive Tourism, Jeanette Edwards
In her research, Jeanette Edwards, Professor of Social Anthropology at Manchester University, has focused on the social and cultural implications of new reproductive and genetic technologies. She has written widely on kinship, personhood and biotechnology and carried out ethnographic fieldwork in England and Lebanon.
26 January 2011 – Building Brains, Steve Furber
Understanding the information-processing functions of the brain remains one of the great frontiers of science – how does this organ, upon which we all depend, actually work? Computers are now reaching the level of performance where we can construct real-time models of brain function – can these models advance our understanding of the biology, and will that understanding help us build better computers in the future?
23 February 2011 – Understanding Psychosis, Tony Morrison
Many people have unusual experiences and beliefs, such as hearing voices, seeing visions or believing that others are trying to harm or control them or put thoughts into their head. Some people are troubled by such experiences; others are not. Can we understand why these experiences occur, why they are associated with distress and disability for some and not others and how talking therapies can be used to reduce distress and improve quality of life in those who are troubled by them?
30 March 2011 – Food Miles, Conor Walsh
When you buy a product that wasn’t produced in the UK, it was very likely grown some distance away. While measures are being put in place to make transport more efficient, changing the way we consume may be the only means to drastically reduce emissions. How can the issue be raised and communicated?
27 April 2011 – How Many Friends Can You Have?, Robin Dunbar
The Internet and Facebook were sold to us on the grounds that they provided a way of widening our social circle. Has it turned out to be so? Robin Dunbar suggests that in fact, the number of friends you can have is strictly limited. Facebook might be able to help you keep track of your old friends, but it wont allow you to have more.
Find out more
For more information visit the Manchester Cafe Scientifique website or contact the organisers: Penny Lewis, email: P.Lewis@manchester.ac.uk or Deborah Talmi, email: deborah.talmi@manchester.ac.uk
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