Cork to be wowed by host of amazing Science Week events
The theme for this year is ‘Regeneration', and boy, could the world do with some of that.
Regular readers will know that I believe science can help us solve some of the world’s biggest challenges but it is also responsible for some of our world’s biggest problems. The evidence is mounting that, despite some very clever inventions and deep understanding about how our planet and universe works, humans, as a whole, might be too short-sighted and stupid to use our knowledge for good.
The catastrophic floods in Valencia should be yet another alarm bell, urging us to treat the climate emergency as the existential crisis it is. Yet, I’ve heard very few people talk about it beyond a sigh and a comment about “those poor people”.
What is the point of ‘scientific progress’ when the planet is melting, genocide is unfolding before our eyes, and we seem virtually powerless to stop it? Strongly-worded emails pile up in politicians’ inboxes, and any news of scientific breakthroughs or discoveries feels hollow compared to the relentless reports of senseless slaughter in Palestine, Sudan, or Ukraine.
When I wake at night, I churn over the possible ways that the genocide in Gaza could end and find myself grasping at science fiction scenarios rather than credible geopolitical solutions. I imagine the scientific community creating a miraculous intervention - a pill or a neuroscience treatment - that makes everyone see our common humanity, halting the destruction of Gaza and saving the world from future wars.
These middle-of-the-night fantasies remain just that: the stuff of science fiction. When I wake and read the terrible news again, I must console myself with the thought that boycotts and Saturday protest marches might help. That somewhere, somehow, some grown-up will intervene and call a halt to the madness.
I’ve always been inspired by scientific discovery and its potential to solve global issues, but in the face of crises like climate change and human suffering, I sometimes question the value of ‘progress’ when we seem unable to use it to create a truly just and peaceful world.
Yet, I find myself drawn to Science Week, and the stories of scientists working to regenerate ecosystems and build sustainable communities, because these efforts remind me that science offers a glimmer of hope - a vision for a world where knowledge is used for good.
There’s something uplifting about listening to an expert passionately talk about their favourite subject, and this week offers a chance to dive into a range of topics that promise to spark wonder and optimism.
Here are a few of my picks, but get your skates on because most of them are happening today! Just cancel your plans for this evening!
If you have ever stared at a starry sky, contemplating the vastness of the universe and the insignificance of your existence in the greater scheme of things, then you might enjoy relaxing on a couch at the Marina Market and taking in the mesmerising display of Solaris.
A giant motorised expandable sphere embedded with thousands of LED lights collapses and expands through the life cycle of a star - from its birth in a nebula to its explosive transformation into a pulsar.
It’s a trip that takes billions of years, but has been condensed into ten minutes, with narration by Dara Ó Briain and Antrim-born Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the discoverer of pulsars.
My kids spontaneously clapped at the conclusion, and it is a relaxing, beautiful creation steeped in fascinating facts.
The world premiere was on Sunday at the Marina Market and it is in situ until 8pm on Tuesday, November 12, before it heads to St Nicholas’ Church in Galway from November 14-17.
Go see it before it goes, and tell you Galway cousins to check it out!
Strongly reflecting the ‘regeneration’ theme of Science Week is ‘Plants For The Future’ at the UCC School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the North Mall campus.
Exploring the power of nature, the event features interactive displays demonstrating how nature-based solutions, breeding technologies, and the circular economy can help us solve issues such as biodiversity loss, food insecurity, climate change, pesticide use and pollution.
This event is free and open to everyone. From 4-6pm, Tuesday, November 12.
For those with an interest in culture, community and sustainability, the Cork Folklore Project, Cork Traveller Women’s Network, and the Environmental Research Institute are hosting the Circular Tales Grand Finale.
Before the term ‘circular economy’, darning, dyeing, re-heeling and re-soling, ‘waste’-collecting and creative reuse of all kinds of things was just a way of life! This event is free and open to everyone.
From 5.15-6.30pm at The Hub, UCC Tuesday, November 12.
The Marina Market is also the place to be this coming weekend.
It’s going to be packed with interactive activities, hands-on demos, and fascinating talks suitable for all ages for ‘Science At The Marina’.
From exploring the human microbiome, AI, and virtual reality, to diving into food science and agriculture, there’s something for everyone. This event is free and open to everyone.
‘Science At The Marina’ will be held on Saturday, November 16, between 11am and 4pm.
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