Previous Events at Café Scientifique - Bishops Stortford

2005    2006    2007  2008

At first sight many ideas in science do not make sense; indeed they can often appear in opposition to what we consider to be common sense. The phrase 'counter-intuitive' has been coined to describe such concepts and in recent years  has found widespread use in the published literature of science. Some ideas appear to be counter-intuitive when there is insufficient knowledge of the underlying  phenomena and in a sense our intuitions at this stage can be viewed as illusory  even though they instinctively 'feel' right. Other counter-intuitive ideas seem to defy any rational explanation. Such ideas in science can surprise, amaze, confound and amuse - but more importantly - challenge us to observe our own thinking and adopt a more creative approach to science.

Kevin Byron will describe the ubiquitous nature of the counter-intuitive - in thought, feeling and action and demonstrate some examples of counter-intuitive concepts in science.

As the title suggests, this talk follows on from our earlier Cafe Scientifique talks. Richard Epworth's "Interface with reality" and Kevin Byron's "Counter intuitive science" presentations addressed how, with our apparent limited capability, we can get an understanding of the Universe. Our brain seemingly processes new information at a low data rate and our only useful human sense is sight.

The Universe is known to be expanding, but because we do not experience this in our day to day living, some of the concepts involved are counter intuitive. For example, it is impossible to visualise the non existence of space. A few of the outcomes are surprising, even to some people who have studied physics!

Following the tremendous burst of theoretical activity in the 25 years prior to 1930, a huge amount of experimental work over the past 25 years has led to a what is now a robust model of how the Universe has evolved. Even so, there is a much which has to be explained.

Stan Allen will outline how cosmological data is collected and reduced. Two dimensional models are discussed and demonstrated, which make the understanding of expanding space a whole lot easier. The talk concludes with the present view of how the Universe has evolved and how it became transparent at 380,000 years old.

When Einstein said "Imagination is more important than knowledge!" he was referring to the importance of creativity in science. Many of the audience will recall how the emphasis in their science education was primarily on the acquisition of knowledge and of learning facts, definitions and laws. This approach in recent years has been partly responsible for the loss of interest in science by many younger people which is held by education policy makers to be a major concern.
One way to attract students back to science is by nurturing the missing elements that appeal to the imagination by placing a greater emphasis on creativity. Jonathan has achieved wide acclaim in this endeavour with his pioneering practical work which provides opportunities for primary school children: "To learn through seeing science happening in front of their eyes!"

Jonathan Forgham has taught science education at primary level for some 25 years and was primary science advisor for Hertfordshire in 2004. He was appointed Science Fellow to the Gatsby Technical Education project for his work on plant science for primary school education and was made leading teacher fellow in 2004. He is the science co-ordinator at Summercroft Primary School in Bishops Stortford and is currently organising a range of activities for National Science Week (www.summercroft.herts.sch.uk). Jonathan is a ECB cricket coach, keen ornithologist, photographer and traveller.

There seems a growing consensus that in the near future we will need to find new sources of energy, and we will need to use that energy more efficiently. The reasons for this include the greenhouse effect, and the imminent exhaustion of the world's supply of fossil fuels.

Both of these issues are accelerated in their urgency by the ongoing rise of the 'tiger' economies such as China and India. However, changing our source and use of energy is going to involve making choices. These choices can only be made with the understanding and consent of the electorate, for which they need to be literate in the language of energy. The presenter argues that the gross inaccuracies and dumbing-down of the energy issue in the media only serves to make things more confusing. We need to find a clear and precise language in order for the majority of the population to discuss the energy issue in a mature and informed way.

Topics
and
Speakers

"How much should you Pay for a Placebo?"                                                   Kevin Byron

"Magic Water Softeners"                                                                                  Stuart Heeks

"Can Science Explain everything?"                                                                 Richard Epworth

"Why are we so bad at predicting future technology?"                                  David Walters

This presentation explored two parallel histories of this extraordinary source of light that was once described as "a solution looking for a problem" 
These histories describe the 'reality' of the science that led to its development, and the 'fantasy' in the ways it was perceived by the arts, media and movie industries.
But are these two worlds really separate ? Is fantasy just as prevalent in science ? and is the artist sometimes grounded in reality ahead of the scientist?  

Modern digital cameras are marvellous tools for studying the natural world. Their high sensitivity means that motion can be studied on short timescales (e.g. insect flight) or where there is limited light (e.g. a spark). In this talk, we will see how digital photography with relatively simple equipment can reveal the dynamics of the natural world from the kitchen sink to lightning, from the flight of a bee to the changing face of the Moon. Dr James Collett is a lecturer in the School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics at the University of Hertfordshire, with research interests in the dynamics of galaxies and cosmic clouds.

Quantum theory was first formulated in the early 20th century to address a growing number of experimental anomalies that could not be explained by the existing classical physics of the day. Within a few decades this successful theory had ushered in the new ages of atomic and nuclear physics that in turn enabled a wealth of technological developments that surround us now. Progress however, was largely driven by the predictive power of the mathematical models used to describe the theory rather than by a deeper conceptual understanding of the reality it describes. Quantum theory is riddled with paradox and counter-intuitive concepts such as multiple universes, multi-dimensional spaces, entities that can take on different identities, instantaneous communication etc which remain to this day a challenge to the imagination. It is perhaps because of these unknowable aspects of quantum theory that they have crossed over into other more philosophical and spiritual disciplines that formerly defined human reality. Such disciplines had been robbed of meaning for many years by other successful developments in modern science such as Darwinism and behavioural psychology and more recently, neuro-science. Maybe it was believed that Quantum theory could restore some meaning to these areas of thought under the umbrella of respectable science. But is this cross-over justified? Does the underlying weirdness of Quantum theory give new life to imponderable spiritual ideas that have been under assault by the progress of conventional science? Can parallels be drawn between Quantum theory and the equally unfathomable understanding of conscious awareness? What the (Bleep??) do we really know? Well some highly respected scientists seem to answer these first three questions in the affirmative. And in answer to the last one they appear to say – ‘a lot more than we think we know!’

The "Captain of the Men of Death" is back!,
The relentless march of tuberculosis into the 21st century”?

The scourge of Tuberculosis continued through the 18th and 19th centuries. But the 20th century saw hope, in the form of a vaccine - BCG - and effective antibiotic treatments.
Why, at the dawn of the 21st century, is TB a global catastrophe?

Why don't we hear more about it? And what can be done about it?

Sir Tim Hunt, talked about the journey of discovery that led to him receiving the highest accolade of achievement in the world of science - The Nobel Prize. He received his award in ‘Physiology or Medicine’ in 2001 for studies on "Key regulators of the cell cycle".  In his autobiography Tim talks of the pleasures of doing science such as “…..trying to make sense of unfamiliar territory and the discussions with the other authors providing an even more intense pleasure of learning new things”. But he goes on to say “… none of these pleasures, great and satisfying though they are, match the joy of discovery”. We heard first hand, the story behind the discoveries that have made a major contribution to understanding how cells can make copies of themselves at the molecular level. Such knowledge is essential for progressing many areas of  biology and the discoveries may in the long term also open new principles for cancer therapy.

                          They say it’s never too late to have a happy childhood.
This was unique opportunity to recapture the fun of playing with science.
 “The Science Action Centre is a place where fun and learning go hand in hand. Designed to intrigue and engage, it houses more than thirty-five interactive displays for inquisitive young minds to explore.  Whether discovering the magic of magnets and mirrors, experimenting with light, sight and sound, or creating a water fountain with their own hands, children will find themselves absorbed from the moment they arrive.  Exhibits include a Helios Planetarium funded by the Institute of Physics and ViewSpace, which provides an amazing live internet link to the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.“

Inside your head there is an amazing labour saving device; more effective than the latest high-tech computer. Your brain frees you from the everyday tasks of moving about in the world around you, allowing you to concentrate on the things that are important to you; making friends and influencing people. However, the 'you' that is released into this social world is also a construction of your brain. It is your brain that enables you to share your mental life with the people around you. Chris' book is the first accessible account of experimental studies showing how the brain creates our mental world. Using evidence from brain imaging, psychological experiments, and patient studies, Chris, one of the world's leading neuroscientists, explores the relationship between the mind and the brain.

Sleep and dreams have been a source of fascination for almost all of recorded history. Dreams have been seen as sources of inspiration, provided glimpses of fantasy worlds and have even been regarded as oracles or portents of doom. The psychoanalytical theories of the interpretation of dreams which came to prominence in the early part of the 20th century have set the tone for much of the public perception of the psychological approach to the subject. Nevertheless a more empirical and scientific study of dreams has quietly developed to help us understand the significance and function of this activity. The scientific study of sleep has always been more robust than that of dreams. There is a wealth of literature on the biology of sleep in animals. Studies in human sleep and sleep disturbance have been translated into clinical applications within medical and neurological practice. Dr Daniels gave an overview of the field of the science of sleep and dreams, and drew on his experience as a practising clinician

From Hildegard of Bingen to Pink Floyd, Mongolian Diphonic Singers to KanYe West, from Beethoven to Indonesian Gamelan, Dizzy Gillespie to The Red Hot Chilli Peppers; we’ll be discussing such questions as:  What do we enjoy about music (and really can’t stand)? Where did music come from and is there an evolutionary advantage to music?
Or is it, in the words of Cognitive Psychologist Steven Pinker, just ‘auditory cheesecake’? How does the brain interpret music and why do we seem to have only a limited number of notes that we can play?  How is music created and why do different instruments that are playing the same note sound so wildly different? 
For this and more, join me, a very amateur musician and part time scientist, in the pursuit of the “Science of Music”.

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