Once upon a time there were no Science Festivals. In 1990 the first of its kind started here in Edinburgh, the festival city indeed, and it's gone from strength to strength, spawning others across the globe.
I remember the first year it happened, my mother got special permission from my school to let me leave early for five days so we could go to a series of lectures. And so being able to work with the organisation 25 years later - for that is the anniversary it was celebrating this year - fills me with a strange pride.
My first stop this year was at the LateLab they held on launch day, back in January. The theme this year was patterns so we were treated to a lot of patterns!
Arriving at the festival itself six weeks later, the opening party was on the most overbooked night of Edinburgh's cultural calendar I've seen outside August. Despite this the City Art Centre was rammed with people, getting gently tipsy and enjoying the exhibits and interactive bits and bobs that would normally be mostly for children. Apparently everyone really really likes bubbles.
As with the rest of my life, much of the Science Festival I see is at Inspace where the events are under the blanket of LateLab. Some of these are regular events fitting into the theme, others are special on-off evenings of science.
And so to the first LateLab proper, an Atmosphere screening of Logan's Run with a live recreation of the Carrousel scene. Not the most immersive setup I've seen there, but certainly one of the most dramatic, and the experimental 3D hologram was deeply disturbing!
Field Guide to Space gave some insights into space data and new ways to experience it. Also featuring a mini Mars Curiosity Rover!
Electric Bookshop, a regular favourite, was looking at paper - treating it as a technology that can be used in more ways than we might think. Conductive ink, mechanical flipbooks, though the highlight was probably the old hardback book asking to be hugged.
As it was a big birthday, the Science Festival had decided to do some special things. One of them was getting the artist
Jason Hackenwerth to build a giant balloon sculpture in the main hall of the National Museum of Scotland. Gosh.
I had to skip
Encounters because there was a cocktail-related event with my name on it over at Teviot Row.
Molecular Mastery filled a hall with people and then filled them with a remarkable selection of alcohol-based substances while making booze feel like the coolest science lesson you never had.
Having worked like a hard working person with his team of hard working assistants, Hackenwerth opened his latest piece entitled Pisces to much media attention.
Back at LateLab,
PechaKucha #22 was looking at the future of cities. If you've never been to a PechaKucha I recommend you go check it out:
http://www.pechakucha.org/watch
And as if he hadn't done enough already, the great artist also created a wearable sculpture (which we tentatively dubbed Piscalino) for
Fantastical Life where, along with Alistair Elfick, there was much talk of biology, art, and the interface between them - and the usual array of sciencey treats and things to play with. And a string quartet, why not?
Next on the LateLab menu was
GastroLab, a sequel to last year's which was a massive hit. With edible flowers, insects, and poisonous fungi, balls of moss hanging in the air and flower ice cubes in drinks it was a delight of experimental foodstuffs peering into the future of cuisine.
No LateLab on Mondays so it was off to
Sensory Dining. More food, more science! Are you a supertaster? Which of these balls of sugar tastes sweeter? How hot does this recording of pouring water sound? Eating gone science mad.
Dialogues is another Inspace regular, showcasing experimental new musics.
The big LateLab buzz was for
Are You Fit For Orbit: tests and games and talks on the subject of space travel. Participants - and there were a lot of them - were asked to indulge in a variety of activities; controlling robots, testing for colourblindness while upside down, blood pressure tests, teambuilding apps... all hosted by jumpsuited helpers and with spacesuits and Piscalino in the background. Much joy and fun.
A change of pace and flavour,
The Secret of the Shooting Star sent participants on a quest around Edinburgh. Starting and finishing in the Museum, travelling from underground vaults to the Royal Observatory and many places between on the hunt for a missing scientist, it was tiring indeed but plenty fun.
On my way back I popped into Inspace for some
Dirty Electronics and watched as people learned how to build a circuit.
And then back later for
Future Play 1, with performances and interactive entertainments.
The last day of the Festival was upon us and it was time for the big finale, the
Mini Maker Faire (although from what I hear it was much bigger and better attended than many full sized maker faires!). Summerhall was filled with stalls and punters and making and doing and bicycles.
And after that there was
Future Play 2 with visitors from Disney and a screening of
Tron Legacy.
And to close, the
Mini Maker Faire After Party, an opportunity for the Makers to let their hair down and for Science Festival staff to let loose with the UV body paint.
I love a good Festival.
