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Festival promises hands-on science, drama and history

One of the hands-on science experiments at the last Thornbury Science Festival

Press release issued: 2 July 2015

From making your own perfume to learning about forensic science, Thornbury Science Festival promises to be a fascinating and action-packed 10 days. The festival, organised by a member of staff from the University of Bristol and involving a number of other University staff and student volunteers, takes place from Thursday 9 July to Saturday 18 July. It is open to everyone and features a play, interactive activities and engaging talks.

It kicks off with two performances of Michael Frayn’s acclaimed play Copenhagen, which dramatizes the meeting in 1941 between two of the world’s greatest physicists who found themselves facing the terrible realisation that theoretical physics had revealed how to make nuclear weapons.

Other topics being covered include the Rosetta space mission, the Bristol Dinosaur, what’s being done to combat cancer, the history of chemistry, how to best manage water resources, and a chance to take part in an astronomical observing session.

Chemistry researchers will reveal how they assessed the contents of the medicine cabinet at National Trust property Tyntesfield, while a workshop allows people to have a go at creating perfumes from natural resources.

There will also be a Science Question Time evening where the audience will have the opportunity to pose questions to an expert panel of scientists from the Universities of Bath and Bristol.

Chris Holland, Science Festival Director and member of staff in Bristol University’s School of Chemistry, said: “I am very grateful to the many people and organisations that agreed to help deliver the festival. Science and technology hold a fascination for most of us in some way or other and this is an opportunity for people to engage with these subjects and with scientists through a range of events that, I hope, will be thought-provoking, informative and enjoyable.”

Tickets, priced at £5 to £7 per head, can be bought at the Thornbury Town Hall box office in the weeks leading up to the festival. Booking can also be made by telephone and email by contacting Rod Williams on 01454 612850 or rodw44x@gmail.com

For full listings and further information, please see the Thornbury Science Festival website.

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