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On Monday, 9 October a group of Fifth Formers made their way to the ExCel Centre at Canary Wharf in London for the New Scientist Live Exhibition. Izzy B (Sankey's House) writes about her experience below.
There is nothing more exciting than seeing the pages of your science textbooks come to life in ways you never dreamed imaginable, so it was always inevitable that tickets for the Lancing College trip to ‘New Scientist’ live at the ExCel Centre at Canary Wharf in London would be the hottest ones in town for all our many budding scientists! And what a truly scientific spectacle this year’s show turned out to be!
Izzy B, Sankey's House, Fifth Form
There were four main stages: the Mind and Body stage, the Future Stage, the Universe Stage and the Planet Stage, which gave this scientific exhibition a technicoloured and highly interactive festival-like atmosphere. Each stage was hosted by some of the most celebrated names in British science, and it showcased some of the biggest innovations across the globe, with experts answering many of the most pressing questions that keep our scientists awake at night. As someone who is fascinated by recent advancements in neuroscience, I chose to make a bee line for the Mind and Body Stage to listen to a fascinating talk called Hack Your Brain by Ginny Smith, which explored the wonders of our brain and nervous system.
There were more than 80 exhibits at the exhibition, where we could speak to some of the world’s leading researchers on vital areas such as Climate Change and Sustainability and the technological innovations that could be used in the hospitals of the future, which are currently revolutionising the world of medicine and healthcare. For the aspiring astronauts among us, there was a live link-up and question and answer session with Andreas Morgensen on the International Space Station. Meanwhile, our top mathematicians were enthralled by Tom Crawford from Oxford University, who talked about the maths behind Pokémon on the Future Stage to a packed audience!
My inspiration for the day came from the computer prodigy Anne Marie Imafidon, CEO of Stemettes, whose goal is to encourage more girls to get involved in STEM/STEAM subjects. Her talk, entitled STEAM Mode On … talked about how an understanding of one’s humanity is also vital in revolutionising the scientific world and how the young people of today have a better chance than ever to make a difference. After all, the arts and humanities still have an important role to play in an increasingly science-oriented age, and it is imperative that we continue to try to understand what it means to be human if AI is to be used as a force for good.
With stalls selling everything from space snacks to meteorites, there was something for everyone at New Scientist Live 2023! I, for one, will be first in the queue for 2024, and who knows what amazing scientific developments we will see between now and then?