Christmas lectures help pupils explore science
10 Dec 08
Hundreds of school children are visiting the University Museum of Natural History this week to discover the best tactics to survive on a game show, how to make chemistry experiments go with a bang and tales of filming TV natural history programmes.
The thirteen and fourteen year old pupils from schools in Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire are taking part in the University of Oxford’s annual science lectures where University scientists aim to entertain and inspire with their insights into science.
The series of three lectures began on Monday with Professor Marcus du Sautoy, Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, using maths to unlock ‘The Secret of the Winning Streak’. Marcus has recently been presenting The Story of Maths on BBC Four and his lecture looked at how maths could help optimise your chances of success in Christmas games.
Tomorrow (Thursday), Dr Hugh Cartwright and Dr Malcolm Stewart are presenting The Cool and Crazy Chemistry Show, where bright colours, bangs and whizzes, alongside Dr Cartwright’s specialism in how to use Artificial Intelligence to solve scientific problems, should bring chemistry to life.
Dr George McGavin will give the final lecture on Friday. Dr McGavin is an author, lecturer, television presenter and explorer who has recently appeared on our TV screens in The Lost Land of the Jaguar on BBC 1. He will be sharing tales of his TV experiences alongside his fascination for the world of bugs and a taste for fried insects.
After each lecture the school pupils have the chance to explore the Museum of Natural History with a Christmas quiz, which they are pictured doing here.