REPORT Stellar Science Communication at the Royal Society A.P. Jayaraman

The author with Sir Martyn Poliakoff HE Royal Society organised its annual Summer Table tie, he brought chemical elements to a whole new Science Exhibition-SSE 2019 from 1st to 7th July audience. T 2019 at Carlton House Terrace, where A fascinating glimpse into the basic building blocks of 250 research scientists from 20 top UK universities life was facilitated by the dive into the primordial soup that showcased their current science capital with the help of sloshed around billions of years ago. The birth of life on 22 interactive exhibits. Every engineered exhibit as well this planet was preceded by primal precursors of proteins. as its explanatory exposition was an exciting experience in Molecular Biologists from Medical Research Council science communication. explained their work and diffused optimism that the At the helm of the Royal Society, Nobelist Sir chemical pathway from Atom to Adam is largely known Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, said: “The exhibition and the known unknowns are being vigorously filled up. provides a great opportunity to talk directly to scientists Trees will replace concrete! Recent advances in to understand more about their work and how it is helping engineered timber have raised great expectations and shape our society.” high-rise timber towers will appear within a decade. The first exhibit was in celebration of the 150th The has an interdisciplinary anniversary of the and was skillfully team composed of architects, biochemists, chemists, presented by the University of Warwick. The United mathematicians and engineers specializing in cross- Nations has proclaimed 2019 as the International Year laminated timber. Dr Michael Ramage explained that of the Periodic Table, IYPT-2019. A smartly designed concrete is five times heavier than timber and is the most investigation system into the chemical elements we rely consumed material after water. He said that a sustainable on every day brought out our critical dependence on the forest will take just 7 seconds to grow timber for a three- elements. bedroom apartment and 4 hours to grow a super skyscraper The stellar attraction was maverick professor of 300 metre high. Every kilogram of timber expunges 1.8 elements, Sir Martyn Poliakoff – an iconic figure in kg of carbon dioxide he explained and added that the the world of chemistry. He is known for his role in the sustainable forests of Canada can house a billion people YouTube phenomenon The Periodic Table of Videos. in perpetuity. Various teams are racing to build timber Wearing a dark green lab coat and a light green Periodic skyscrapers in London, Chicago and The Hague.

44 | Science Reporter | November 2019 Are we alone in the universe? Breakthrough Listen is the body to reveal blood vessels and to image brain oxygen a ten-year initiative with $100 million funding begun in and metabolism levels while doing some mathematics July 2015 to actively search for intelligent extraterrestrial exercises. Professor Ilias Tachtsidis informed that CYRIL communications in the universe. Dr Martin Dominik is under clinical test and could predict survival within 20 who leads the research in the UK stated with disarming minutes of brain injury. frankness, “We do not know whether there is any intelligent The use of helium in microscopy opened a new world life elsewhere in the Universe and how common it is. We of discovery and the University of Cambridge offered an may never receive the radio signal from extra terrestrial opportunity to see well with atoms. Helium offers benefits intelligence but what if we do? Should we reply?”. in resolution, material contrast, charge control, and surface Visitors thronged to give their responses to the largest sensitivity, providing unique image information, which public perception survey. Different aspects of SETI complements or exceeds that from Scanning Electron research were on display including the DISC Quotient Microscopy. (Decipherment Impact of a Signal’s Content). Dr John University of Leicester drove visitors to the tracks of Elliot explained that after detection there will be delay in driverless or autonomous cars. These can drive themselves analysis and in the intervening time information vacuum from a starting point to a predetermined destination in fear and speculation will thrive as fodder for fake news. University of St Andrews generated a heated debate on “autopilot” mode using various in-vehicle technologies and whether we should communicate with extraterrestrial sensors, including adaptive cruise control, active steering, civilizations. anti-lock braking systems, GPS navigation technology, Professor Sarah Bridle of Manchester University and radar. Researchers were eliciting public trust in distributed spicy food for thought on climate change. Her the upcoming technology. team created a visual representation for the public using Another team of researchers from the university helium balloons to match the equivalent volume of carbon showcased an innovative X-ray imaging space instrument dioxide thrown into the air in the production of different on board BepiColombo, which is an international mission foods. A medium sized 100 g beef burger releases enough comprised of two spacecraft riding together to Mercury to greenhouse gases to fill 60 balloons equal to driving 10 km orbit and to study the planet from unique vantage points. by car. If we switch to chicken only 15 balloons will do It was launched in October 2018 and is scheduled to begin equal to 2.5 km by car. orbiting Mercury in 2025. Dr Helen Downie called on consumers to demand Heriot-Watt University scientists at the cutting edge the latest information on environmental impact from food of technology presented glimpses of action of real world producers and make informed choices. Visitors could play robots operating in hazardous areas containing toxic and a computer game to guess the greenhouse gas footprint of radioactive materials. different foods and to learn how food production can be Super biomaterials helping to fight superbugs were the improved to reduce emissions from the farm. innovative contributions from . University of Bristol engineered a robust system that Superbugs are strains of bacteria that are resistant to the enabled visitors to appreciate the effects of earthquakes majority of antibiotics commonly used today. Resistant on buildings and structures. These are bench size working bacteria that cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections and models and visitors could understand how nuclear skin infections constitute a threat and challenge to us. reactors are protected against earthquakes. I recalled Anil University of Bradford created musical masterpieces to Kakodkar’s famous statement that the safest place to take show what is happening in a chemical reaction. The project shelter in an earthquake is a nuclear reactor. University of Liverpool geologists provided a involved using chemical reactions to make musical scales. fascinating account of the magnetic field of infant Earth Students then played these scales with musical instruments with simulated models while Oxford University scientists and a recording was made. They analysed their samples took to the interfaces of biophysics and mathematics using various spectroscopic techniques making molecular and gave a vivid account of the influence of the brain in music from the sound of chemistry. breathing. The diversity of interdisciplinary topics, the depth University College London (UCL) deflected the breadth and stretch of explanation, the face to face visitors to the strange sphere of synesthesia. Here people communication, the engineering and aesthetic design of may see sounds, taste words or feel a sensation on their working and operating models, lightning talks and street skin when they smell certain scents. scientists from roaming around to The Biomedical Engineering team from UCL showed find out enriched every visitor’s science capital. the working of CYRIL at a replica neonatal intensive care unit. CYRIL stands for Cytochrome-c-oxidase Dr A.P. Jayaraman is Chairman, National Centre for Science Research Instrument and application. There were hands-on Communicators and President, STEAM Academy. Email: drap. demonstrations showing which colours of light penetrate [email protected]

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