Glasgow Science Festival makes a splash with programme launch

The Glasgow Science Festival is setting out to make a splash as it returns with an expanded programme of in-person events in June under the theme of 'Glasgow's Making Waves'. Venues across the city including the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, the Riverside Museum and the St Enoch Centre will play host to more than 50 live events during the 16th annual festival, which kicks off on Thursday 2nd June. The online Science on the Sofa activity programme, established following the cancellation of planned physical events for the 2020 festival, will also return for a third year to help bring science into the home. Visitors can look forward to a varied selection of wave-themed events, including investigations of gravitational wave astronomy, artist-led soundwalks, explanations of how different types of waves manifest in the natural world, and a striking sculpture of a basking shark made from e-waste. There's an equally varied range of other topics to explore, including the rhythms of the brain, how AI can deliver improved healthcare, and how plant science can help mitigate climate change. The events will be delivered by researchers from universities across the west of Scotland and elsewhere, alongside local community groups, museums and other organisations. Dr Deborah McNeill, organiser of the Glasgow Science Festival, said: "We're really proud of what we've been able to accomplish over the last couple of years despite the restrictions of the pandemic.