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The success of the “Are Angels OK?” project, which brought leading NZ writers and physicists together, reflects a growing public appetite for collaboration between artists and scientists. But what common ground is there between the creative arts and science – what can they actually offer one another? Join physicist Tony Signal and poet Bryan Walpert to discuss this question.
Using fossil pollen to track the movements and impacts of people: Fossilised pollen grains provide a history of the vegetation growing in an area - and of the impacts of people living there over time. The pollen record has provided us with a cautionary tale, through helping us understand the demise of the megalithic civilisation on Easter Island, but it has also challenged our sense of history and identity, by indicating an earlier date of arrival of people to Aotearoa than is commonly accepted. John Flenley will talk about his life as a palynologist.
Genes are all around us, and so is genetic modification. The last few years have seen intense public debate on the subject of genetic manipulation, but in the lab the technique has been a cornerstone of molecular biology research for at least twenty-five years. Like so many experimental techniques, GM is based on natural phenomena, is neither glamorous nor sinister, and definitely has nothing to do with four-legged chickens. Join Barry Scott for a discussion on the origins and significance of GM for life sciences research.
Jamie and Cathy Tait-Jamieson believe that sometimes the old ideas really are the best: organic farming not only produces food that tastes better and is better for you, it is also better for the environment. So why isn't everyone doing it? Join the Tait-Jamiesons for a discussion on the challenges and benefits of organic farming.
Wind energy seems to have become the preferred option for renewable electricity generation in NZ. However in a recent survey of 600 households neighbouring the existing Manawatu and Tararua wind farms, most reported the turbines had significant adverse visual and noise effects.
What will be the impact if current plans for over 500 turbines on the Manawatu hills come to fruition? Join Robyn Phipps for a discussion of the pros and cons of wind energy
Leonardo da Vinci, while famed for his art, was also passionate about science. His manuscripts show designs for machines that were built in his lifetime as well as inventions for the future, such as his incredible flying devices.
Bringing these machines to life using only those materials available to the Italian artisans of Renaissance times has been a passion for the Teknoart group; a team of Florentine artisans lead by the Niccolai firm in collaboration with leading academics.
Join three of the artisans that developed The Da Vinci Machines exhibition along with Peter Sarjeant from Te Manawa and discover how the 500 year old works of a genius have been brought to life.
What do you think of science? Is it relevant and sexy or does
it puzzle, confuse or even annoy you?
What is the role of school science teachers in today’s
science education and what helps school leavers choose their
career paths?
With over 50 years of School/Polytechnic and University teaching between them, David and Adrian will explore the current climate for the practise of science and science education.
New Zealand’s basic business is fixing energy into organic carbon. We then waste a lot of this energy creating pollution. We then use more energy to stabilise the pollution we have created.
This clearly doesn’t appear sustainable but what is the
alternative? Can we change our thinking and what will it take
to do this? A discussion of waste management and sustainable
energy.
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