Cheltenham Festival of Science begins (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cheltenham Festival of Science begins

THE third Cheltenham Festival of Science began yesterday, Wednesday, June 9, and runs until Sunday, June 13.

This year it explores the theme of perception in all its forms, from our experience of eating to the mysteries of the human brain, from animal consciousness to the secrets of body language.

There are many high profile names, including Robert Winston who is the Festival's first guest director, world-renowned perception expert Vilayanur Ramachandran, NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, chief executive of the Medical Research Council and leading neuroscientist Colin Blakemore and childbirth expert Sheila Kitzinger.

Some of the UK's best new science communicators, including Mark Lythgoe, Harry Witchel and Alice Roberts return to Cheltenham this year.

Hot topics of discussion include nuclear power, the impact of budget airlines and the future of zoos. There is also a new venue, the Town Hall Arena. This is a marquee in the Imperial Gardens, which provides a purpose-built space designed to allow audiences to get the most out of discussion events. It also features the Festival bookshop.

The Festival again offers a packed family programme which includes Adam Hart-Davis, Dr Bunhead, Nick Arnold, Kate Humble and the Science of Spiderman. And the Discover Zone is the scene of live Robot Wars, digging for dinosaurs and an abseil down the wall of terror.

From The Science of Whisky (including eight tastings) to scientific Call My Bluff, presided over by our own Marcus Moore, it's action all the way in Cheltenham this weekend.

Tickets and information from the Festival Box Office at Cheltenham Town Hall, telephone 01242 227979.