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National Science Week.
After all, if someone asked you, could you explain why the sky
is blue? What the theory of relativity is? How your computer
actually works? What happens in your brain and body that means
alcohol makes you drunk? That most people wouldn't know the
answers is no surprise: there is so much in the world to understand,
and the complexity of human knowledge grows every day at a frightening
rate. For a lot of people, it's easier just to forget about
it, and to act as though it doesn't matter. This is a shame,
because the world - indeed, the universe - is a mind-blowingly
fascinating place, and a basic understanding of how it works
makes the beauty all the more vivid.
National Science Week began as a pilot project in 1997, aimed primarily at promoting science to children. Every year it has grown dramatically. Last year, for example, there were 45 events based in South Australia. This year there are nearly twice that number, all across the state, and many of the events are for adults. A prime example is 'Science in the Pub', at the Commercial Hotel in Jamestown on Sat 13 August and the Mawson Lakes Hotel on Thu 18 August. If the idea of free beer-tasting, learning about the science of brewing, and a classic pub quiz with a science twist appeal, then this might be the event for you.
This year also sees the launch of Science Outside the Square, a program of entertaining and informative shows and discussions initiated by Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield, one of the recent Adelaide Thinkers in Residence. Upcoming SOTS events during Science Week include 'Genes Of Bragg' (Sun 14 Aug), a free event which celebrates the life and work of two of Adelaide's Nobel winners, 'The Science Of Art' at the Governor Hindmarsh (Tue 16 Aug), and 'Demystifying Depression' (Mon 22 to Thu 25 Aug) at various locations around the state. Then there's the Scinema film festival, showing numerous free films in Adelaide, Goolwa, Port Lincoln and Victor Harbor.
What else does Science Week have to offer? Perhaps you've heard of the many conspiracy theories that surround the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969. The best known of these suggests the whole thing was a NASA hoax, filmed in some aircraft hangar, perhaps by Stanley Kubrick. To back up this claim, a number of alleged inconsistencies in the documentary records of the landing have been made use of. Why are there no stars in the lunar sky in the photos taken by the astronauts? What about the shadows of the astronauts and their ship, which show weird anomalies? And wasn't space technology in the 1960s just so primitive that the whole thing couldn't have happened? After all, look at the trouble NASA has getting a shuttle into orbit in the 21st century! Whether you believe in the Moon landing or not, you'll be fascinated by a show at Adelaide University's Rennie Theatre on Mon 15 Aug. UK physicist Ken Skeldon is going to explore the event which captured the world's attention, examine and explode the hoax theories, and keep you entertained into the bargain.
There are dozens of other performances, exhibitions, interactive entertainments and competitions in Science Week SA this year: so many that the initial week has in fact been stretched to a fortnight, from Wed 10 to Tue 23 August. The full program is available in bars, cafes and shops all over Adelaide, or online at www.scienceweek.info.au. If there's nothing that tempts your mind in that lot, you must already know everything.
James Morrison
Disclaimer: James Morrison is involved with the organisation of National Science Week (SA)
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