Free COOL stuff in Aberdeen this week 16-22 June!

Looking for something new and FREE to do this week in Aberdeen .. there's LOADS on so there are no excuses for being bored!  

Monday 16th June - Cafe Philosophique 'Is Equality Good for Us?  The Blue Lamp 7pm, FREE just turn up! 

A short, informal talk and open discussion about philosophy! A great bunch of folk go along to this event. It's really chilled out and this talk should be really interesting! The talk will be delivered by Dr Beth Lord from the University of Aberdeen. Don't forget to get your free ticket for the finale of this season of Cafe Phi from the Belmont Filmhouse (27 June) for the 'Where does Scott Pilgrim Live?' with Professor Roy Cook all the way from the University of Minnesota! 

Tuesday 17th June - Shmu FM The very first 'Talking Science' Radio show! 2-3pm

Tune in for the very first in the series of Talking Science. A brand new Shmu radio show... brought to you by the Public Engagement with Research team at the University of Aberdeen (that includes me... :-/ ). I will be super impressed if anyone guesses the 'sound of science' challenge!!!  

Wednesday 18 June - Cafe Scientifique ' Danger High Voltage'  Tesla's Contribution to Society (FEATURING A TESLA COIL DEMO!) 7pm Waterstones FREE 

An informal short talk (30mins ish) with a live demo followed by a Q&A. Dr Ken Skeldon will be delivering this event (he's done science shows around the globe!) Plenty of people come on their own to these events so don't feel uncomfortable about just turning up. Coffee and cake available to buy from the Costa cafe.

At the weekend.. 

Why not take part in a 'Civic Hacking' event and help improve the city of Aberdeen? (FREE but registration required) 

Saturday 21 June - Meet the Scientist event during MND Awareness Week 

Meet and hear from researchers looking at Motor Neurone Disease. They will be in Satrosphere all afternoon delivering talks and sharing their work! (there is a small charge for the entrance fee to Satrosphere but it's TOTALLY worth it and their cafe is ACE). 

Visit the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens (that are looking beautiful at the moment) or Duthie Park (yes, all FREE)! 

See the Gray's School of Art Degree Show? (not science, but plenty of awesome design to be seen there!) Open 10-5 on Saturday and Sunday

Exhibitions..

Satrosphere Science Centre have loads of events and exhibitions going on throughout the week and weekend including their 'minibeast little scientist days', the 'grey matters' family show and the 'we are aliens' planetarium show! Some charges do apply and check here for full details.

Seventeen (Belmont street) 'Breathless Breastless' A breast cancer awareness art exhibition (10 -5 every day, 10-4 Sunday)

Kings Museum, Old Aberdeen, Exploring the concept of time 'Victorian Time: Spirit of the Age' (10-4 Monday -Friday, 11-4 Saturday) 

Seen any others that I haven't mentioned? Email me!

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(mostly) FREE stuff to do in Aberdeen this week (April 10-17th) !

• A talk about Fungi (TONIGHT) 7.30 pm Zoology Lecture Theatre Tillydrone Avenue ABERDEEN

This talk introduces the diversity of the kingdom of the fungi and explains how these extraordinary organisms are functioning all around us.By turn fascinating or feared; hopefully you will leave thinking the fungi more friend than foe.

• Simon Singh is here this weekend for an event with Aberdeen Skeptics in the Pub and British Science Association (but unfortunately this event is sold out already)

• Visit the Mission Possible Exhibition at Satrosphere (EVERYDAY!)

You might normally associate biology with how your heart works, or with the creepy crawlies found at the bottom of your garden but this exhibition explains how biology is related to our everyday lives through agriculture, biotechnology, our food and our well-being. There's a picture of a Highland cow too so it must be good.

• CafeMED Monday 6pm is All about how we use blood donations (where do they go?) FREE 6pm Suttie Centre 

It's 100 years sience the first blood transfusion. With over two million blood donations in the UK last year alone, we'll discuss what happens to donated blood and the pros and cons of transfusion. With Professor Mark Vickers and Dr Henry Watson. Cafe MED is a short talk followed by a Q&A there are refreshments available.

Booking for the May Festival 2014 is now open. Get tickets now for things like BRIGHT CLUB 2014 (where researchers do comedy) and check out all the MAY-HEM events coming up! 

Not interested in a talk? Why not visit Aberdeen Maritime Museum, the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens or Duthie Park (all COMPLETELY FREE)! 

Seen any other interesting events that I haven't mentioned? Email me!

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Easter Inspiration - Visit the Mission Possible Exhibition in Aberdeen

This month is your very last chance to visit an exclusive exhibition in Aberdeen all about how biology effects our lives, and its future applications, at Satrosphere Science Centre.

You might normally associate biology with how your heart works, or with the creepy crawlies found at the bottom of your garden but this exhibition explains how biology is related to our everyday lives through agriculture, biotechnology, our food and our well-being. There's a picture of a Highland cow too so it must be good.

MISSION POSSIBLE  is currently touring Europe and flew in to Aberdeen in November. It will not be visiting anywhere else in the UK anytime soon so you should visit it while it is right here in Aberdeen. The exhibition is super interactive, with games and touch screens and it features displays created by researchers here in Aberdeen including some amazing microscopic images.

The exhibition challenges you to think about how difficult decisions are made, such as how fishing quotas are decided. It also looks at the complexities of our day to day needs such as where your food comes from in "You are What you Eat" which looks at the food miles, calories and CO2 emissions of everyday food.

You can also learn about the history of scientific breakthroughs in Scotland and how researchers today are trying to make Scotland, and the world, a better place to live.

The exhibition alone is worth a visit but there are also lots of events and activities taking place throughout the Easter holidays at Satrosphere which are based on the contents of the exhibition including Science Club (suitable for ages 6+).

The Cafe Controversial talk series is also running alongside the exhibition.  The next event is on the 22nd of April (the very last day of the exhibition) and Professor Howard Davis from the James Hutton Institute will be discussing GM Crops and the place GM crops have in modern agriculture. All Cafe Controversial events are free to attend, and you just turn up ready for the talk to start at  7pm in the Satrosphere Cafe (they make excellent cakes too!).

Mission Possible is organised by the BIOPROM project consortium aimed at bringing together experts who work with or on new concepts for communicating bioeconomy research to the public from both regional and global sources. From November 2013 to April 2014 the project will focus on Aberdeen, communicating research through the Satrosphere exhibition in partnership with the University of Aberdeen. For more information on the consortium please visit www.bioprom-net.eu. To keep updated with the exhibition in Aberdeen and all events, follow @BIOPROMabdn on twitter.