Member Article

Science festival attracts record numbers

More than 47,000 thousand people attended the 60 events that made up the 2006 Newcastle Science Festival held during National Science Week in March. The festival kicked off with a sell-out audience for scientists Dr Simon Singh and Professor Richard Wiseman’s Theatre of Science, which saw the latter step into a wire cage and absorb one hundred million volts of electricity. Families learnt how science can help them to Bend It Like Beckham at the Centre for Life; Dr Bunhead launched the first hamster into space at Discovery while the Evolution of Teddy Bears was the subject under the spotlight at Northumbria University.This was the fourth year the Festival was held. Linda Conlon, Chair of the Newcastle Science Festival Steering Group, said: “The success of the Festival lies with the broad mix of events within the Festival programme which ensures there is something for everyone. Our research indicates that 10 per cent of people attending this year’s Festival were attending a science event for the first time. This is positive news as the aim of the festival is to make science more appealing to new audiences.” Funding for future Festivals has been secured from regional development agency One NorthEast, meaning science will continue to play an important role on the region’s cultural scene. Plans for next year’s event are already well under way. Anyone who would like to take part in the Festival by running an event is asked to contact Festival organisers on (0191) 2438216.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .