Professor Wiseman said “We were expecting about 10,000 downloads in the first week and have been overwhelmed by the response from around the world. It shows us that people are obviously searching for a better night’s sleep with more pleasant dreams. Now the hard work of analysing the data begins.

”The Edinburgh International Science Festival broke new ground this year, coaxing science and scientists out of the lab and mixing them with everyone from authors to artists and philosophers to politicians and offered over 200 events in venues across the City. Visitors to the flagship venue for the family programme, the City Art Centre, exceeded 12,000 for the first time, and overall over 80,000 visitors enjoyed events and activities taking place everywhere from Ocean Terminal to The Jam House, Ghillie Dhu, National Museum of Scotland, Botanic Gardens, Inspace and The Filmhouse. With Science Busking bikes out on the streets of the City, the BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory Roadshow on the Mound Precinct and worldwide press coverage for the 2012 Edinburgh Medallist Dr James Hansen, the Ardbeg Distillery collaboration with NASA and the Dream:On experiment, the Science Festival was hard to miss.

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival said, “This year we examined everything from the science behind firewalking to clothing that cleans the air around us. We’ve explored Time, Taste, the funny side to Maths, the Future of Food and the Future Human and have had great fun along the way. It has been an exciting fortnight and a pleasure to have mixed so many people with interesting ideas with thousands of curious Science Festival goers. It is great to see new ideas springing up, such as Richard Wiseman’s App based dream experiment which has reached a global audience.

“The Edinburgh International Science Festival was the first in the world and we are set to remain a science festival that leads. We celebrate our 25th Birthday in 2013 so watch out for some particularly exciting plans for this special year.“Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages, said, “Having seen at first hand some of the inspiring hands-on activities at this year’s Festival I’m delighted to see that this highlight of the Scottish science calendar has again been a success, attracting many thousands of visitors over the Easter break. From dancing robots at the National Museum to the range of events pitched at children, young people and adults, the festival has had something for everyone.

“Edinburgh’s rich history of research means it can truly call itself a home of science but the ongoing work of the Festival organisers plays a large part in helping to inspire our next generation of scientists.”Science Festival innovations for 2012 included LateLab, a series of evening events in the University of Edinburgh’s Inspace Gallery where visitors enjoyed talks, performances and table-top science in a social, creative and participatory environment. The Edinburgh Enlightenment Exchange (Edinburgh E2) launched the Festival with a series of short, sharp presentations bringing together some of the country’s most creative individuals and the public for a day of shared inspiration, innovation and passion.

The family programme in the City Art Centre, Botanic Gardens and National Museum of Scotland proved extremely popular with the City Art Centre reaching capacity every day of the Festival, while In Motion, the flagship activity at the National Museum of Scotland, welcomed thousands of visitors including broadcaster Richard Bacon who presented his BBC Radio 5 Live programme from there. Bacon interviewed a range of Science Festival guests including physicist Jim Al-Khalili, Australia’s Numeracy Ambassador Simon Pampena and two of the three presenters of Festival of the Spoken Nerd – Steve Mould and Helen Arney.

The prestigious Edinburgh Medal was awarded to the American Climate Scientist, Dr James Hansen, for his commitment to helping people understand the issues surrounding climate change. Hansen presented two further sold-out events on climate change and renewable energy.Although the Science Festival has officially ended, one special event will take place next weekend when psychological illusionist Derren Brown will be in conversation with Professor Richard Wiseman.The Edinburgh International Science Festival will celebrate 25 years in 2013 and will run from Saturday 23 March to Sunday 7 April 2013. The full programme will be announced in January. Full details, images and information about this year’s Science Festival can be found atwww.sciencefestival.co.uk. 

For further information please contact:Frances Sutton, PR Manager

media@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481

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Hansen described how the questions of his grandchildren had changed him from a scientist who shied away from the media and public activism to one who believed passionately that he must use his voice to change government policy and public opinion.  He stated, ”It is immoral for us to leave to the next generation a planet whose climate is spiralling out of control.  I believe it is an issue of intergenerational justice – we can only pretend we don’t understand what is happening around us.”

He admitted that his cause seemed to have gone backwards in the last few years, with the public in general being less aware of the situation and continued “It is very difficult to communicate when people who are profiting from the current system don’t want changes, and governments are going ahead in allowing and even encouraging development of fossil fuels as if they don’t understand the implications.”

Dr Hansen was delivering the 2012 Edinburgh Medal Address having received the 24^th Edinburgh Medal from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh at a ceremony at the City Chambers last night.    The Edinburgh Medal is a prestigious award given each year to men and women of science and technology whose professional achievements are judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding and well-being of humanity.  The Medal is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and is awarded as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Dr Hansen is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and at Columbia’s Earth Institute.   Perhaps best known for bringing global warming to the world’s attention in the 1980’s when he first testified before Congress, Dr Hansen’s background in both space and earth sciences gives him a broad perspective on the status and prospects of our home planet.

Dr Hansen is taking part in three other Science Festival events with some of the country’s most important voices on climate change. Tickets for ‘Our Climate Future’ with Lord Anthony Giddens and Professor Pete Smith, Science Director of Scotland's Climate Change Centre of Expertise today at 8.00pm and for‘Fixing the Planet’ with, among others, Professor Stuart Haszeldene OBE Professor of Carbon Capture & Storage at University of Edinburgh at 5.30pm on Thursday 12 April are available from www.sciencefestival.co.uk or 0844 557 2686

The first Edinburgh Medallist in 1989 was the theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner Abdus Salam; of the subsequent twenty Medallists, three have gone on to be awarded the Nobel Prize.

For further information please contact:

Frances Sutton, Edinburgh International Science Festival Press Office

07841 579481 or media@scifest.co.uk

Notes for Editors:

The Edinburgh Medal was inaugurated in 1989 and previous recipients include

1989 Professor Abdus Salam                                      1990 Professor Stephen J Gould
1991 Professor Jane Goodall                                      1992 Professor Heinz Wolff
1993 Professor Wangari Maathai                              1994 Professor Manuel Pattarroyo
1995 Sir John Crofton                                                 1996 Professor Richard Levins
1997 Professor Amartya Sen                                      1998 Sir David Attenborough
1999 Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell                           2000 Professor Lynn Margulis
2001 Sir John Sulston                                                  2002 Lise Kingo
2003 Professor Wang Sung                                         2004 Professor Stephen Rose
2005 Professor Colin Blakemore                                2006 Professor James Lovelock

2007 Dr Richard Horton                                             2008 Professor Chris Rapley CBE

2009 Professor John Beckwith                                    2010 Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys

2011 Professor Carl Djerassi

The Edinburgh International Science Festival is supported by:

City of Edinburgh Council                   The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund

The Edina Trust                                   Baillie Gifford

Diabetes UK                                        MRC

NVA                                                     Optos Selex Galileo                                       Texas Instruments

Wolfson Microelectronics

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This study aims was launched at the Edinburgh International Science Festival by psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman from the University of Hertfordshire.

Wiseman has teamed-up with app developers YUZA to create 'Dream:ON' - an app that monitors a person as they sleep and plays a carefully crafted 'soundscape' when they dream.  Each soundscape has been carefully designed to evoke a pleasant scenario, such a walk in the woods, or lying on a beach, and Wiseman hopes that these sounds will influence people's dreams.  At the end of the dream the app sounds a gentle alarm and prompts the person to submit a description of their dream into a database known as 'The Dream Catcher'.  Users of Dream:ON are also encouraged to share their dreams via Facebook and Twitter.

Each night Wiseman will collect thousands of dream reports and use the information to discover whether it is possible to give the world sweet dreams.
"The app is free and we want as many people as possible to participate," noted Wiseman. "I have conducted many mass participation experiments in the past, but this is by far the most ambitious and exciting."

As part of the launch, Wiseman has carried out a national survey into dreaming.  The results demonstrate the need for sweeter dreams, with 21% of respondents reporting that they have trouble sleeping and 15% suffering from unpleasant dreams (see the 'UK dream map').
"Getting a good night's sleep and having pleasant dreams boosts people's productivity, and is essential for their psychological and physical well-being. Despite this, we know very little about how to influence dreams - this experiment aims to change that" commented Wiseman.

UK Dream Map
The exact percentage of people in each region reporting pleasant dreams are as follows:
East Midlands : 24
Scotland : 25
North East : 28
North West: 29
Yorkshire and the Humber : 29
Wales : 29
South East : 30
South West : 30
London : 32
East of England : 33
West Midlands : 34

Notes to editors
Press requests
For interviews please contact Professor Richard Wiseman on 07790905219 or email: r.wiseman@herts.ac.uk
For advance screen shots of the app and photographs of Professor Richard Wiseman using Dream:ON please contact Frances Sutton on 07841 579481 or email Media@scifest.co.uk.

Screenshots from Dream:ON can be downloaded from:http://yuza.com/files/yuza-DreamON-graphics-bundle.zip

Project website: http://dreamonapp.com/
Project Twitter @dreamonapp

How does the Dream:ON work?
Before going to sleep, people indicate when they would like to wake-up and select a 'soundscape'.  They then place the iPhone onto their bed.  Dream:ON then monitors the person's movements twenty minutes before they awaken.  If Dream:ON detects a lack of movement  - indicative of dreaming - it plays the desired soundscape.  When the person starts to move again Dream:ON plays a gentle alarm and prompts them to submit a brief description of their dream. These descriptions are stored in a database and, over time, will be used to examine how the soundscapes influence people's dreams. Dream:ON is free to download and contains a state of the art smart alarm clock as well as soundscapes to help influence your dreams.

Dream:ON is for iPhone at launch and available now for free from iTunes - globally.

10 Famous Dreams
Many researchers now believe that dreams are a rich source of creative thinking.  Here are 10 famous creative dreams:
1) Research chemist Friedrich August Kekule dreamt about a snake grabbing its own tail, which led to him discovering that the Benzene molecule has a circular structure.
2) Elias Howe dreamt about being taken captive by a tribe who danced around him with spears that had holes near the tips.  This dream led to his invention of the sewing machine.
3) Robert Louis Stevenson dreamt about the plot of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".  He then completed the book within ten weeks.
4) Stephen King has used his dreams for inspiration for many of his novels, including 'Misery' and 'It.'
5) Paul McCartney awoke to find the tune for 'Yesterday' fully formed in his head.
6) Jack Nicklaus invented a new golf swing after dreaming that he was holding his golf club in a completely different position.
7) Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote his famous poem, Kubla Khan, after waking up from an opium-affected dream.
8) The basic plot for the Twilight series came to writer Stephanie Meyer came in a dream.
9) Mary Shelley found the inspiration for Frankenstein in a dream about the possibility of scientists discovering how to create life.
10) Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleyev dreamt about how atomic weights could be used to group the elements, and was inspired to create the Periodic Table.

About Professor Richard Wiseman
Richard Wiseman researches the psychology of luck, self-help, persuasion, and illusion.  A passionate advocate for science, his best-selling books have been translated into over 30 languages and he has created viral videos that have received over 25 million views.  Over 2 million people have taken part in his previous mass participation experiments.

About YUZA
Formed at the start of the app boom and with millions of downloads of its apps and partnerships with some of the worlds most powerful brands - YUZA is at the forefront of exciting mobile experiences. www.yuza.comTwitter@YUZA

About the University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire is the UK’s leading business-facing University and an exemplar in the sector.  It is innovative and enterprising and challenges individuals and organisations to excel.

The University of Hertfordshire is one of the region’s largest employers with over 2,700 staff and a turnover of more than £235 million. With a student community of over 24,500 including more than 2,000 international students from over eighty-five different countries, the University has a global network of over 165,000 alumni.   For more information, please visit www.herts.ac.uk

The University of Hertfordshire was awarded the Times Higher Education ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2010.  Research is at the core of the University’s strategy to facilitate far-reaching engagement with business, community and national and international partners. The University’s research is world-leading and has been recognised by the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

About the International Science Festival
Edinburgh International Science Festival is an annual two week extravaganza offering a packed programme celebrating science through vibrant, innovative events, hands-on activities and explosive experiments for adults, children and families all across the city.  The 2012 Edinburgh International Science Festival runs from 30 March – 15 April.   Full details of the programme and all tickets can be found atwww.sciencefestival.co.uk.

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Catalytic Clothing is a partnership that brings together the worlds of fashion and science and asks the public to join the campaign for clean air. Professor Storey, from London College of Fashion and Professor Ryan, from the University of Sheffield, together with partners and supporters including CRISTAL GLOBAL and the world’s best know ecological cleaning brand ECOVER, have announced that they have moved one step closer to making their world-changing ideas a reality. Employing existing technology in a new way, this public experiment between fashion and science explores how clothing and textiles can be used as a catalytic surface to purify the air we breathe.

 Catalytic Clothing works by neutralising the pollution in the atmosphere around it using the essential ingredient, ultrafine titanium dioxide. This powerful ingredient, which is already used in self-cleaning glass for example, breaks down harmful pollutants such as smog-producing nitrogen oxides when in the presence of UV light, converting them into less harmful substances. Nothing sticks to your clothing – in fact it has the opposite effect and helps keep your clothes cleaner! At the moment this technology is used in concrete and the surface of buildings to help keep then smog and pollution free.

 ECOVER, who are committed to producing sustainable and exceptional cleaning products are currently carrying our rigorous testing in collaboration with scientists from The University of Sheffield and Cristal Global who manufacture the essential ingredient, ultrafine titanium dioxide CristalACTIVTM, to produce a laundry product that will transform our clothes into air purifying catalysts.

 Ecover said “All citizens become part of the solution instead of being a part of the problem. The idea is simple and effective: by treating our clothes, each one of us can become a catalyst for clean air. Air pollution is neutralised around our clothes as we walk through the city. With the help of sunlight, the catalysts will neutralise the dirt from the air pollution around us that would otherwise end up stuck to our clothes. Cleaner air for our cities and clean clothes, what could be better? Current testing indicates that we will be ready to launch a product to the market in 2013.”

 Helen Storey and Tony Ryan will be taking part in an ‘in conversation’ at the National Museum of Scotland with Professor John Shepherd CBE FRS about the motivation behind their collaboration, the technology they have developed and the benefits it could bring. Wednesday 4 April Tickets £8/6 apply here: http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/categories/talk/catalytic-clothing

The Edinburgh International Science Festival runs from Friday 30 March to Sunday 15 April. Full details of the programme and all tickets can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk. Tickets can also be purchased by phone through the Science Festival Box Office on 0844 557 2686 or in person at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival shop, 180 High Street, Edinburgh (open 10.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 11.00am to 5.30pm Saturday).

 For further information please contact:Frances Sutton, PR Managermedia@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481

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 Prof. Dave Collins, from the University of Central Lancashire, argued that mental power was just as important, if not more so, than physical power. “One big reason why medal winning athletes go further, faster, higher than others is because they believe they can,” said Prof. Collins.Drawing on his research with body builders, he explained how participants were given a placebo drug but were told it was a performance-enhancing steroid. In every case the amount of weight the participants were able to lift increased by up to 12.5% under the placebo. Once the participants were informed the tablets they had taken were actually saccharine, the improvement immediately reduced proving that it really is mind over matter.

However Prof. Andy Jones, who worked as part of Paula Radcliffe’s training team, showed detailed information of the world-record holder’s fitness programme arguing that physiology is more important than psychology.Using research carried out at the University of Exeter, Prof. Jones was able to accurately predict Radcliffe’s word beating marathon time of 2:15:25 hours two weeks before the marathon took place. “With this technology we can predict the timing of long distance runners with only a 0.2-0.4% error of accuracy,” said Prof. Jones.Intrigued by the dominance of successful East African athletes in the Olympic track events, Dr Yannis Pitsiladis has spent the last ten years at the University of Glasgow trying to find an answer to athletic success in genetics.“Humans are 99.9% the same, yet even slight differences in genetics can result in large differences in phenotype”, argued Dr Pitsiladis, whilst admitting that there is still no evidence available to support the notion that genetics plays any determinant factor in the success of athletes.“When competing at such a high level where talent, training and motivation are the same, it is the little things that matter,” was the view from nutritional scientist Dr Ron Maughan of Loughborough University.

Although scientific evidence supporting the importance of a high carbohydrate diet has been around since the 1920s, coaches and trainers have been slow in paying attention to nutrition argued Dr. Maughan. “Diet significantly influences athletic performance. All athletes should adopt specific nutritional strategies before, during and after training and competition to maximise their mental and physical performance” said Dr Maughan in the IOC Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition 2010.This Thursday the role of performance enhancers in sports will be examined at the Science Festival in an event titled ‘Designer Athletes: Fair Play or Foul Play?’ with Greg Whyte who recently trained comedians David Walliams and Jon Bishop for their Sports Relief challenges.

The Edinburgh International Science Festival runs from Friday 30 March to Sunday 15 April. Full details of the programme and all tickets can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk. Tickets can also be purchased by phone through the Science Festival Box Office on 0844 557 2686 or in person at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival shop, 180 High Street, Edinburgh (open 10.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 11.00am to 5.30pm Saturday).

For further information please contact: Frances Sutton, Edinburgh International Science Festival Press Office 07841 579481 or media@scifest.co.uk

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'Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes', the Edinburgh made Typhoon 2 ha been refurbished over the winter and can be seen at the City Art Centre until Saturday 14th April. Typhoon 2 was designed and made by a team of volunteer engineers from Selex Galileo working with a team of Edinburgh Air Cadets under the leadership of Peter Bennett; an ex-RAF Test Pilot.

Typhoon 2 accelerates like a Ferrari and its devastating spinning weapon can unleash enough energy to propel another robot over the Scott Monument in Princes Street, Edinburgh.

Following their Olympic success the Typhoon team turned to producing sporting robot kits for secondary school young engineers to construct and compete in an annual Scottish Robotic Games. Over 500 of these 'Rampaging Chariot' robots have been made by Scottish schools and visitors to the Science Festival can make these robots themselves in a special workshop area supervised by Apprentices from Selex Galileo. They can then drive them round obstacles in a purpose built arena.  

Peter Bennett said "The visitors get huge satisfaction from building, testing and driving a powerful robot at the Festival. - Engineering can be great fun"

For further information please contact:

Frances Sutton, PR Manager

media@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481

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Visual-Eyes is a new activity for 2012, supported by Optos who provide cutting edge retinal imaging technology that is revolutionising eye health care around the world.  Visual-Eyes will enlighten children about how their eyes work.  They can peek inside a giant eye, try on simulator goggles to find out what it’s like to have vision problems, and even watch an eye being dissected.

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said: “For two weeks we transform Edinburgh into one of the world’s greatest playgrounds for the restlessly curious.  Come and challenge your strength and endurance in InMotion at the National Museum of Scotland, explore the limits of your vision in Visual-Eyes here in the City Art Centre or engage your imagination through the spoken word at the Storytelling Centre.  We invite you to explore literally hundreds of new ideas across the Festival.”  

Roy Davis, Optos CEO said: “We are delighted to support the Science Festival and we hope that we can encourage families to recognise the importance of good eye care by having regular eye examinations that can help prevent a host of serious eye conditions and systematic diseases, if detected early”.

Other family-friendly events include a series of science stories at Scottish Storytelling Centre, scientific trails around National Museum of Scotland and the chance to explore the science of food with live cooking demonstrations and tasting experiments at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory team will be presenting free live shows in the Usher Hall and drop in activities on the Mound Precinct.

The Edinburgh International Science Festival runs from Friday 30 March to Sunday 15 April. Full details of the programme and all tickets can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk. Tickets can also be purchased by phone through the Science Festival Box Office on 0844 557 2686 or in person at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival shop, 180 High Street, Edinburgh (open 10.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 11.00am to 5.30pm Saturday). 

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For further information please contact:

Frances Sutton, PR Manager

media@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481

The Edinburgh International Science Festival is supported by:

City of Edinburgh Council                   The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund

The Edina Trust                                    Baillie Gifford

Diabetes UK                                          MRC

NVA                                                         Optos

Selex Galileo                                         Texas Instruments

Wolfson Microelectronics

For details on OCT imaging and optomap retinal scans visit www.optos.com 
 

For press information about Optos contact:

Faiza Amjid

Freshwater Scotland

T: 0131 554 6111 or E: faiza.amjid@freshwater-uk.com

About Optos and optomaps:

Optos designs, develops, manufactures and markets a range of retinal scanning devices that create OCT and optomap images.

The optomap is the only image that provides an ultra-wide view of up to 82% of the retina in one capture. A simple optomap scan is an important tool for the screening, early detection and diagnosis of eye problems such as retinal detachment and tears, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. It can also indicate evidence of non-eye diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers. Many of these conditions can be seen in the periphery of the retina, as well as in the central pole, which is why wide-field imaging is so important.

 In 2012, The Year of Creative Scotland, and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,InMotion looks at everything from fitness and power to the science and aesthetics of movement.   Featuring leading Scottish athletes - middle distance runner Eilish McColgan, weightlifter Peter Kirkbride, cricketer Dewald Nel and rugby international Chris Paterson, – InMotion explores the extremes of human ability, analyses the styles and skills of the athletes and invites visitors to discover their own strength, agility and endurance.   See how high you can jump, how hard you can squeeze, how fast you can throw a ball or race a handbike.  Find out how mind over matter – or egotistical willpower – can persuade your body to override the signals from your brain by plunging your hand into an ice bucket and timing how long you can keep it there.

Dr Peter Lovatt, aka Dr Dance, will be inviting you into the Dance Box where he is studying how people communicate through dance, and look out for live dance performances from Scottish Ballet, contemporary dancers from DanceBase and even some of the University of Edinburgh’s humanoid robots on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 April. 

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival said, “InMotion is a fantastic, hands on exploration of human movement, and one which can be enjoyed by all ages.  Come and find out how our bodies work, how we train and develop them to achieve incredible feats of endurance and stamina and what you can teach yours to do. “

Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said “Scotland is world-renowned as a place of great innovation and creativity, qualities celebrated and promoted by the Edinburgh International Science Festival. This year’s Expo-funded project, InMotion, examines the science of human movement in new and innovative ways and is sure to inspire young and old alike in 2012, the Year of Creative Scotland and the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.“

InMotion is accompanied by a series of daily workshops for children aged 7+.  Make a Move encourages kids to examine human movement in more detail, looking at the anatomy of the body and how it makes and controls movements.  The workshop includes the opportunity to programme Lego MINDSTORM NXT robots to get a robotic arm to complete challenges, giving an insight into the complexities involved in developing artificial limbs. 

Power from the Peoplecelebrates NVA’s Speed of Light project which will transform Arthur’s Seat in August as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.  Kids can investigate electricity and explore some of the challenges this project presents, looking at the technology the NVA team needed to use to generate enough energy to create this incredible piece of art. 

For younger children, Move It is a fun, creative dance workshop developed by Scottish Ballet.  With no experience necessary, children from 4-6 years old can have fun, get moving and explore their own ideas in a friendly environment with musical accompaniment. 

For families, the Science Festival remains the perfect Easter Holiday adventure. Edinburgh’s City Art Centre is transformed into a science playground packed full of circuits, scary skeletons, racing robots and manic monsters offering a full day’s entertainment for kids of all ages from toddler to teenager. New activities for this year include Visual-Eyes, supported by Optos, where children can peek inside a giant eye, find out how lenses work and even watch the dissection of an eyeball. Other family-friendly events include a series of science stories at Scottish Storytelling Centre and the chance to explore the science of food with live cooking demonstrations and tasting experiments at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory team will be presenting free live shows in the Usher Hall and drop in activities on the Mound Precinct.

InMotion opens to the public at 10.00am on Friday 30 March and runs for the duration of the Edinburgh International Science Festival until Sunday 15 April.  Entry to InMotion is free of charge, and workshop tickets are available at £3.50.   Tickets can be booked online at www.sciencefestival.co.uk, by phone on 0844 557 2686, or on the day at the Science Festival Box Office in the National Museum of Scotland.  The National Museum of Scotland is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm.  

For further information please contact:

Frances Sutton, PR Manager

media@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481

Documented throughout history as a rite of passage, a test of strength or a testament to the power of religious beliefs, firewalking has been practised by many cultures around the world for over 3000 years. It experienced a resurgence of popularity in the 1980s when the ability to walk barefoot over red hot coals was presented as a confidence building, self-empowering exercise. A lucrative industry was born with practitioners persuading the public that, for a fee, they could be taught ‘mind over matter’ and achieve the seemingly impossible.

Perhaps best known for bringing global warming to the world’s attention in the 1980’s when he first testified before Congress, Dr Hansen’s background in both space and earth sciences gives him a broad perspective on the status and prospects of our home planet.

In the 18th century, the Scottish Enlightenment was characterised by the vibrant flowering of ideas and enquiry that flourished as thinkers and scientists sought to understand the natural world and the human mind, and improve the world through new ideas, discoveries and inventions. An unprecedented outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments led to 18th-century Scotland being described as ‘a hotbed of genius’, with rapid advances in philosophy, political economy, engineering, architecture, medicine, geology, archaeology, law, agriculture, chemistry and sociology.

Highlights include:

The Edinburgh International Science Festival announced today a collaboration with a new Science Festival in Abu Dhabi to take place in November this year.  This world class event is the first of its kind to be held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and has been programmed and developed by the team from Edinburgh together with the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC), the Abu Dhabi Government entity charged with supporting the elevation of Abu Dhabi to a world-class centre for science, technology and innovation. Some twenty events from Edinburgh International Science Festival will feature in the Abu Dhabi Festival and more than forty trained science communicators will travel to Abu Dhabi to lead and work alongside local undergraduates.

The nine-day Festival aims to spark the curiosity of the Emirate’s youth in science, technology and innovation (STI) and will encompass over 150 of the world’s most exciting informal science learning experiences, including interactive exhibits, fun workshops and spectacular shows. The Abu Dhabi Science Festival will cover different fields of science, technology and innovation including robotics, aeronautics, physics, biology, chemistry and archaeology. Atomise, the interactive chemistry exhibition designed and created by the Edinburgh International Science Festival team with support from the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, will travel to Abu Dhabi together with the other activities, workshops and performances created for the Edinburgh International Science Festival and further developed for UAE audiences.  The Edinburgh International Science Festival team are also co-ordinating the delivery of world class science events from countries including Sweden, Singapore, Germany and Australia. Complementing the festival’s programme as an anchor attraction, 1001 Inventions, the award-winning international touring exhibition, will have its Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival said ” We are delighted to be working with The Abu Dhabi Science Festival, which will undoubtedly become an instant global leader, one of the best events of its kind in the world, staged on a scale rarely seen before. Its extraordinary level of ambition is fitting for a nation determined to achieve success in the competitive world of technological innovation.  Science festivals were invented here in Edinburgh. There are now hundreds of them around the world, yet we are still seen as a benchmark for quality and innovation. Our interactive workshops for families are widely regarded as some of the best in the world. “

“Scotland is a world leader in science and technology, and we are a world leader in communicating it to the public and so we are thrilled that we can share the expertise and knowledge gained from our own Festival, the first of its kind in the world which will celebrate its 24^th anniversary in 2012.”

His Excellency Ahmed Al Calily, Director General of TDC, said: “The Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee is proud to announce the Abu Dhabi Science Festival, a world-class annual event which showcases the fun and excitement of science and technology to the young people of the Emirate in a creative and new way.  We are delighted to be working with the Edinburgh International Science Festival who are recognised as world leaders in science communication for a young audience.”

As part of the Abu Dhabi Science Festival’s unique concept, members of the Edinburgh International Science Festival team will train hundreds of higher education students to become ‘Science Communicators’ and help visitors make the most of every experience. 

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said: “Scotland is one of the world's most creative and innovative nations. The Edinburgh International Science Festival is world renowned for bringing the subject alive, inspiring future generations. This fantastic collaboration, mutually beneficial for both festivals, will raise Scotland’s profile internationally and showcase our creativity in the Emirates.”

Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Edinburgh International Science Festival is one of the major annual highlights of the Capital’s packed events calendar. Each year, the festival’s programme concocts a heady mix of education, fun and sheer awe for people of all ages to enjoy. I’m delighted that the Edinburgh International Science Festival’s well-earned reputation has paved the way for its collaboration with Abu Dhabi and I’m sure this partnership will prove fruitful for both science festivals going forward.”

The Abu Dhabi Science Festival will run from Friday 18 to Saturday 26 November 2011.

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For further information please contact: Frances Sutton, PR Manager, Edinburgh International Science Festival, media@scifest.co.uk or 07841 579481, www.sciencefestival.co.uk

About Abu Dhabi Science Festival

The Abu Dhabi Science Festival is a major science popularization initiative that the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee is driving to support the building of Abu Dhabi’s world-class talent base as part of its overarching mandate to help develop Science, Technology and Innovation in Abu Dhabi. For further information please visit our website: www.abudhabisciencefestival.ae

Live for It! aims to tackle the problem of childhood obesity head on by engaging with primary and secondary students to show how leading a healthy lifestyle now, can help lead to a healthy lifestyle in the future. The programme is designed to tie in with Scotland’s curriculum for excellence in Health and Wellbeing and will initially be delivered to schools in areas with high levels of Type 2 diabetes, starting in Edinburgh and Glasgow before moving on to other areas of Scotland.

Live for it!is the newest addition to a growing programme of high quality shows and workshops developed and delivered by Edinburgh International Science Festival; the premier science outreach provider in Scotland.

Each school participates in four 90 minute sessions during which students explore topics including, diet, cooking, digestion, diabetes and how the body uses energy. The programme comprises three interactive workshops, Eat for it! – where students go on a journey through the digestive system, Go for It! where they test blood glucose and learn how our bodies convert food into energy, and Cook for It! – all about eating a balanced diet and making healthy food choices. The final session Live for It! allows the students to show off what they have learned through a series of interesting challenges, including Oscar; a life size model patient with exposed organs and a flashing red nose modelled on the ‘Operation’ board game.

Recognising this innovative work, LifeScan Scotland, Pfizer UK Foundation and Scotmid cooperative have generously supported the partnership and further funds have been raised by Diabetes UK Scotland’s own voluntary groups.

Jane-Claire Judson, National Director of Diabetes UK Scotland said: “One third of children are overweight or obese in Scotland and the impact on the nation’s future health has never been far from the public’s attention.  Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Now with the support of LifeScan Scotland, Pfizer UK Foundation and Scotmid Cooperative we are able to bring information about leading a healthy lifestyle directly to the classroom.

“By working with Edinburgh International Science Festival we are hoping to give students the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to make decisions about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. There are also almost 2000 children under the age of 14 living with Type 1 diabetes in Scotland and this project will also try to improve knowledge of the challenges school students face when they have diabetes.”

Simon Gage, Director of the Science Festival added: “Edinburgh International Science Festival has been inspiring Scotland’s school children for over 20 years with its schools outreach programme,Generation Science, which visits around 60,000 students each year. Live for It! continues this tradition by using science communicators to deliver inspiring, fun and educational workshops that give students access to the skills and information they need to make choices for change and protect their health now and in the future.  We are delighted to be working with Diabetes UK Scotland on this inspirational project, and thank Life Scan Scotland, Pfizer UK Foundation and Scotmid co-operative for their generous support.”

Malcolm Brown, Head of Corporate Communications for Scotmid said: "Scotmid co-operative is delighted to be working with Diabetes UK Scotland and Edinburgh International Science Festival to bring this vital health message to our next generation. It is important that youngsters are taught the realities of diabetes as early as possible through initiatives such as the schools programme and the Live for It! cook book. As a responsible retailer which prides itself on being at the heart of Scottish communities this is a tremendous opportunity for us to engage in such a positive way with this key audience."

Lorraine Dick, Community Relation Specialist at LifeScan Scotland said: “As a specialist diabetes company, LifeScan Scotland is delighted to help support a programme that will increase school-age children’s awareness of diabetes and improve the knowledge that they have.  Partnering with Diabetes UK Scotland and the Edinburgh International Science Festival to deliver a programme that links with the government’s education agenda is an exciting initiative, and being able to offer the workshops locally in the Highland area further enhances our commitment to our community.”

Sadie Miller, Head Teacher at Niddrie Mill Primary School said: “The school is looking forward to taking part in Live for It! and is delighted that Diabetes UK Scotland are recognising the need to talk to schools direct, so that our pupils can make informed choices about how they lead their lives and hopefully lower their risk of ever developing Type 2 diabetes in adulthood.”

ENDS

25 May 2011

For further information, please contact Stephen Fyfe at Diabetes UK Scotland on 07879812306 or 0141245 6380 email stephen.fyfe@diabetes.org.uk  or Emma Henderson, 0131 3461184, 07977134614 emma@pi-communications.co.uk

Additional information

·       Diabetes is a condition where the body can’t use glucose (sugar) properly. If untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputations. There are two forms of diabetes – Type 1, which usually develops in younger people, and Type 2, which largely affects people over the age of 40 and is the most prevalent form of the condition.

·       Diabetes UK Scotland is the charity for people with diabetes. One of the largest patient bodies in the country, we have over 11,000 individual members and over 40 voluntary groups in Scotland). Diabetes UK Scotland campaigns on behalf of people with diabetes, provides information and support and funds research.

·       1,898 children under the age of 14 in Scotland have Type 1 diabetes and Scotland has one of highest rates for the condition in Europe.

·       Edinburgh International Science Festival, founded in 1989, is an educational charity that inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to discover the wonder of the world around them. It is best known for organising Edinburgh’s annual Science Festival – the world’s first celebration of science and technology, and still one of Europe’s largest. Of equal importance, however, is its schools touring programme, Generation Science, which brings science to life in Scottish classrooms throughout the year. www.sciencefestival.co.uk

·       Scotmid is Scotland's largest independent co-operative now employing around 5000 people. It has over 190 convenience food stores (now incorporating Botterills) spread throughout Scotland.  It also owns Semichem, the discount health and beauty chain, operating 140 stores in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.  A new venture is The Fragrance House which offers prestige fragrances and currently has five branches in Scotland. Scotmid Funeral services operate nine funeral businesses whilst the Society's Property Division has an extensive portfolio of both commercial and residential properties throughout Scotland.

·       LifeScan is a Johnson & Johnson company.  LifeScan Scotland was created in 2001 when Johnson & Johnson acquired the UK assets of Inverness Medical Ltd, a medical device company established in Inverness in 1995 to design and manufacture glucose test strips, and design electronic meters for the global diabetes market.  LifeScan Scotland’s main product range includes the popular OneTouch® Brand of blood glucose monitoring systems, which is available globally.  The company has also developed diabetes management software, control solutions and lancing devices.

The 2011 Festival launched with a new Guinness World Record set by TV Scientist Dr Bunhead at the Usher Hall for the longest glow in the dark necklace (1071 feet or 326.44 metres). The festival continued with a wide range of hugely popular family events across the City Art Centre, Botanic Gardens and National Museum of Scotland.  With over 200 talks, workshops, events and activities in 32 venues across the city the Science Festival has retained its place as one of Europe’s leading events, playing host to the BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory Roadshow as well as such scientific luminaries as Professor Lord Robert Winston, Simon Singh, Frank Close, Professor Lord Rees and the recipient of the 2011 Edinburgh Medal, Professor Carl Djerassi.

2011 saw an expanded programme of adult talks, including a range of events curated by Guest Director, Professor Richard Wiseman on such diverse topics as psychopaths, cosmetics, fireworks and miracles.  Professor Wiseman’s Taste Test – an experiment undertaken at the Science Festival which explored the differences in taste between expensive and inexpensive wines – caught the world’s attention, with the results being broadcast as far afield as the USA, Malaysia, India and Australia.

To support the expanded programme and to work alongside Science Festival Director, Dr Simon Gage, Amanda Tyndall has joined the Science Festival as Deputy Festival Director.  For the past fifteen years Amanda has dedicated herself to communicating science in various guises -to audiences of schoolchildren, politicians and everyone in between; in venues as varied as football fields, cafes and bars and the Houses of Parliament. 

With a background as a science writer and editor she has for the past ten years focused on engaging the public with science and in this capacity has worked for The Dana Centre, the Café Scientifique network and the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB). Most recently, she has spent five years in Australia setting up the Royal Institution Australia (RiAus) as a dedicated centre for science dialogue and discussion, delivering a vibrant and varied programme of events for people of all persuasions.

Amanda Tyndall said: "I have long admired the EISF as a real pioneer of some of the truly innovative ways in which science can be made both informative and entertaining. I am hugely excited to joining the team and am particularly interested in exploring novel ways in which science can be made truly accessible.  I intend to focus on taking science into new contexts via links with the arts and creative industries and forming innovative partnerships with festivals and broader cultural activities.”

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival said: “The Edinburgh International Science Festival is going through an exciting period of growth and change supported by high visitor numbers and excellent involvement from sponsors and partners. It is a delight to have attracted Amanda to the organisation – she is a talented and experienced festival programmer with a lot of new ideas. And she comes with a good dose of ‘can do’ picked up from her time in Australia. We expect great things of her and look forward to seeing her contribution to the 2012 science festival programme.”

Atomise, the new close up chemistry exhibition situated at the John Hope Gateway of the Royal Botanic Garden, is now helping pre-booked school parties celebrate the International Year of Chemistry, however is open to families and the general public every weekend until 5 June. More details can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk.

The 2012 Science Festival will run from Saturday 31 March to Friday 13 April.  Full details of the 2012 programme of events will be announced in February.

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Millions enjoy these displays, but how many of us know what makes a firework go BANG? Or Pop? Or Whizz? How do you make them red? Or white? Or blue? What decides whether they burst as a chrysanthemum, or horsetail or spider? Find out all this and more when Professor Jackie Akhavan explains the chemistry behind our favourite fiery celebrations at the Edinburgh International Science Festival tomorrow.

Professor Akhavan, Head of the Centre for Defence Chemistry, is involved in research and development of commercial fireworks, pyrotechnics and high explosives and will present an event packed with bangs, whistles and even small explosions.

The Science of Fireworks
Tuesday 19 April - 7.30pm - £8/£6

Tickets are available from www.sciencefestival.co.uk or from the box office on 0131 553 0322.

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For further information contact Frances Sutton, Edinburgh International Science Festival Press Office on 07841 579481 or media@scifest.co.uk.

Dr Simon Gage, director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said:

"the PIll is based on chemical research carried out by Carl Djerassi. It is primarily for this game-changing social innovation born out of good science that he is being awarded the Edinburgh Medal. Beyond this significant achievement, we recognise that he has committed many years of his life to the exploration of the concepts and issues of science through plays and writings. He has constantly sought ways to engage the public in debate and discussion about issues that matter to them."

Professor Djerassi said:

"As a frequent past visitor to Edinburgh, I am delighted and honoured to receive this year's Edinburgh Medal and to note that I am the first chemist among my distinguished predecessors."

The Edinburgh Medal is a prestigious award given every year to men and women of science and technology whose professional achievements are judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding and wellbeing of humanity. The Medal is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and will be awarded in a ceremony at the City Chambers on Tuesday 12 April 2011.

The Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Lieutenant and Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, said:

"Professor Carl Djerassi's pioneering research work in reproductive medicine was instrumental in bringing about one of the most significant scientific and indeed social advances of the twentieth century. his tireless dedication to the cause of engaging the public with science is truly inspirational and it is a tremendous honour to present Professor Djerassi with the Edinburgh Medal for 2011."

The Medal Oration will be given by Professor Philippa Saunders, Inaugural Director of the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health in Edinburgh. This will be followed by the Edinburgh Medal Address: Science, Sex and Theatre: A Potent Brew, by Professor Djerassi where he will discuss - in part through two theatrical illustrations - the two scientific inventions that have led to the current divorce of sex and reproduction: the Pill and IVF, leading respectively to sex without reproductive consequences and reproduction without sexual intercourse.

The Vote of Thanks will be given by Dana Linnet, Principal Officer of the United States Consulate in Edinburgh.Tickets for the event are available online from www.sciencefestival.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 0131 553 0322.

The first Edinburgh Medalist in 1989 was the theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner Abdus Salam. Of the subsequent nineteen medalists, three have gone on to be awarded a Nobel Prize.

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For further information please contact Frances Sutton, Edinburgh International Science Festival Press Office, on 07841 579481 or media@scifest.co.uk.

Notes for Editors:

The Science Festival team have been working on the 'perfect bubble mix' for use at the workshop and found that Original Fairy Liquid mixed with Glycerol from ReAgent Chemicals, one of the UK's leading chemical suppliers, is ideal. The festival is delighted to have received spnsorship from both companies: Fairy has donated 260 litres of washing up liquid and ReAgent has donated over 200 litres of pharmaceutical grade glycerol which should keep even the keenest bubble-blowers busy for a very long time!

World of Bubbles is one of the many activities ideal for families looking for something to do over the Easter break. There are workshops, events and experiments for everyone from toddlers to teenagers taking place over all 7 floors of the City Art Centre, and that is just one of the 30 venues hosting over 200 Science Festival events around the city in the coming fortnight - there's something to do for all the family.

The adult programme includes: Professor Lord Robert Winston exploring the impact of human inventiveness; Professor Richard Dawkins proposing evolution to promote a deeper understanding of human nature; comedian Robin Ince exploring the science of comedy and Professor Richard Wiseman and Jon Ronson discussing telepathy and psychopaths.

From homeopathy to comedy, organ transplants to Cystic Fibrosis, individual friendship to the internet, the Pill, population control, the Large Hadron Collider and the Chemistry of Fireworks, the Science Festival offers debate, discussion, information and entertainment for all.

And for those wishing to engage their inner child, the Science Festival offers the chance to enjoy all the kids' events at the City Art Centre and Atomise; and even to experience a sleepover at the Zoo in a series of adult only events.

The Edinburgh International Science Festival runs from 9-22 April across the city. For full details of the programme, and to purchase tickets, visit www.sciencefestival.co.uk or call the Box Office on 0131 553 0322.

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For further information please contact Frances Sutton, PR Manager on 07841 579481 or media@scifest.co.uk.