Robots, rocketry, and medieval medicine will be taking over Techniquest this weekend as part of a special celebration for British Science Week 2019.
We love showcasing innovation and interactive learning, and what better excuse to bring both together than British Science Week? Grab your lab coats, we’ve got some learning to do.
Our British Science Weekender (16–17 March) is a jam-packed celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), all while offering our usual weekend activities of family friendly fun.
Here’s what’s on…
Medieval medicine and modern science
The human body is fascinating, and something we often take for granted. Have you ever wondered how the heart pumps blood around the body? Or how leeches were used as medicine in medieval times? Or even how scientists can recreate body tissue outside of the body? You can discover all this and more.
This seems like a no brainer, but would you trust your hairdresser to give you medical treatment? In medieval times, qualified doctors and surgeons were few and far between, or were busy with the rich and elite. So, barbers became the go-to people for procedures ranging from pulling teeth to even amputations. These gruesome surgeons even used leeches to suck out blood they believed to be diseased… definitely not something to try at home when you’re having your fringe trimmed!
Luckily, these days we don’t have to risk our lives by going to our local barbers for treatment. Science now allows us to treat even more diseases and illnesses through increasingly innovative procedures. This weekend, the Cardiff Institute for Tissue Engineering and Repair will be at Techniquest to teach us all about microbes and bio-films. This life-saving science can even rebuild and replace biological tissues! That’s quite a leap from the blood-sucking leech days, isn’t it?
Robotics and rocketry
Even more futuristic than rebuilding body tissue, robots are becoming an exciting reality in the modern world. Engineers all over the globe have created robots that can swim like octopuses, explore space and even beat you at a game of rock, paper, scissors! As robots take over, you can learn all about how to program a LEGO® robot.
Astronauts, assemble! Have you ever wondered what makes a rocket catapult into the atmosphere? The moon is a massive 238,855 miles away from us on Earth, so getting rockets into space is no mean feat! If you’re a budding astronaut or engineer, you can learn all about how rockets are propelled into space.
Wild weather
Did you know the average rainfall in Wales in the month of March can be as much as 200mm?! Our proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and hilly landscape means Wales is a prime location for wet and windy weather. RSPB Cymru will be there to tell us all about the world of weather, and you can even learn how to create your very own wind socks and water gauges!
If that’s enough to spark your curiosity, come and enjoy our British Science Weekender. But be quick, it’s here for one weekend only!