Edinburgh Science Festival

🌟 We had an amazing weekend at the PST ART + Science Family Festival at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum! 🌿🧪

🎭 Art and science lovers of all ages joined us for hands-on workshops, street theatre science shows, and a day filled with creativity, discovery, and fun!

Huge thanks to everyone who came out and helped celebrate the powerful fusion of art and science in LA! 🌈💫 This initiative is part of the Getty Foundation's broader PST ART programme, which explores the dynamic intersection of art and science https://bit.ly/3AAxUqw 💥

🌾 Future Farming – Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Innovators! 🌾

As we mark National Engineering Day 2024, we’re excited to highlight the impact of our new Future Farming activity at Careers Hive, which reached over 2,500 students!

With the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Scheme , students explored cutting-edge engineering innovations that promote sustainability, efficiency, and animal welfare in modern agriculture.

Through engaging, hands-on activities, students had the chance to:

📈 Test mood-recognition technology that helps livestock farmers monitor animal health
🫐 Learn non-invasive methods to assess blueberry sweetness, keeping the fruit intact
🐄 Connect with experts in aquaculture and agriculture, gaining real insights into career paths in these fields

🔗 Read more about Future Farming on our blog! https://bit.ly/48M9jM8
🔗 Learn more about National Engineering Day https://bit.ly/4844dd8

Did you know that the dazzling auroras we love to catch glimpses of are more than just nature’s light show? They’re actually space weather alerts! 🌌

When particles from the Sun hit Earth’s magnetic field, they create beautiful auroras but also trigger electric currents that can impact power grids and cables. Scientists recently found these currents get even stronger depending on the angle of solar shockwaves!

👀 So, next time you’re mesmerised by the Northern Lights, remember – they’re like Earth’s way of saying, "Heads up!

Read more about how auroras could soon pose a serious threat to our electrical system ⚡️ https://bit.ly/3YY5OPr

🔚 Let the pack-down begin!

After an incredible three days at the PST ART + Science Family Festival in Los Angeles at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, our production team is now hard at work dismantling and packing up our interactive science activities.

Every one of the 3,500 items shipped from our Edinburgh warehouse will be carefully repacked and loaded onto a 40ft shipping container for the journey back to Scotland. A huge thank you to our team for making this event such a success! 🌎

🎉 Sci-Ku Competition Winners Selected! 🎉

We’re thrilled to share the six winning Sci-Ku's from our recent competition! Out of the three categories All ages, Primary Schools and Secondary Schools, we had two winners from each category. These winners Sci-Ku's will be featured in the Spaceship Earth exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland for the 2025 Edinburgh Science Festival.

This, along with other winning Sci-Ku's, will be displayed from 5–20 April 2025, reaching over 57,000 visitors! Edinburgh College of Art students will also create unique artwork inspired by each piece.

For our Highly Commended entries, we couldn’t let the incredible talent go unrecognised! We have also contacted a handful of students. Thank you to everyone who joined in – your work has inspired us all! 🌍💫

Below are a handful of drawings from Kettins Primary School to illustrate their Sci-Ku's. 👇

🌟 What’s FameLab all about? 🌟

FameLab UK is a prestigious competition to uncover the next generation of science communicators! Edinburgh Science is excited to host the Scottish Regional Final on Monday 7 April 2025 as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival. 🚀

Applicants will receive training in January to help polish their presentation skills before taking the stage and competing to represent Scotland at the FameLab UK Final in Cheltenham. The UK winner will then go on to the FameLab International Final!

If you’re passionate about sharing your research or STEM expertise, this is an amazing opportunity to make your mark. 🌍✨

Find out more and apply today! 👉 Enter FameLab Cheltenham Festivals 2025 https://bit.ly/3TTOB6O

Tell your friends and family—the Street Science team is in town! 🧪✨

🚲 Next up, the Edinburgh Science Festival Street Science performers will be stopping at the Original Farmers Market, Los Angeles this Friday, Nov 1, with mind-boggling experiments and dazzling science demos for all ages! Check out the Market Plaza at the Original Farmers Market any time between 2 – 7pm, with main shows happening at 3:30pm and 6pm.

Get a sneak peek into the magical world where art and science collide, all leading up to our big PST ART + Science Family Festival at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum from Nov 9 – 11, produced by Edinburgh Science Festival.

Keep an eye out for the Street Science pop-up performances at venues throughout Southern California, from now until the PST ART + Science Family Festival, and be sure to tag us!

Street Science Takes Over Southern California! 🚀

Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of discovery and fun at the PST ART + Science Family Festival, running from November 9 – 11 at the iconic La Brea Tar Pits!

🦖🔬 Dive into a world of interactive, hands-on workshops for all ages. Explore space, dig into fossils, learn about local pollinators, and even scrub in and take on the role of a surgeon. Plus, enjoy exciting family stage shows, music, food trucks and roaming entertainment in the park!

Access to the event is free.

🎟️ Click the link to receive your 'know before you go' email. Be sure to register for the day you plan to visit to receive all event details and access instructions: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/pstartfamilyfestival

The PST ART + Science Family Festival is presented by Getty, hosted by the La Brea Tar Pits, and produced by Edinburgh Science Festival. The Family Festival is part of PST ART.

Festival-Campus Partners:
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
- LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- Craft Contemporary

Images: Courtesy of Edinburgh Science and Ian Georgeson.

As Careers Hive comes to a close, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who made this event possible. Thank you to our incredible supporters whose funding helped bring this vision to life and to the 2,500 students who attended and explored the world of STEM careers.

A huge thank you to the teachers who booked visits, parents who brought their children to the public day, and the dedicated volunteers, Experience Guides, Zone leaders and production team who ensured everything ran smoothly. Your support and enthusiasm inspired students and empowered them to see the potential in STEM subjects.

Together, we've taken a significant step toward shaping the future of STEM and inspiring the next generation of innovators. We couldn't have done it without you!

This year’s Careers Hive is supported by Baillie Gifford & Co, Bluefloat & Nadara Partnership, Edina Trust, The City of Edinburgh Council, Hitachi Energy, Royal Academy of Engineering, British Army, Edinburgh Airport, Institute Of Acoustics, Maths Week Scotland, Muirhall Energy, Seebyte, STMicroelectronics NV and Vattenfall

We are grateful for the generous support from The Scottish Government and were thrilled to welcome the Chief Scientific Adviser and her team to Careers Hive yesterday!

🚨 Doors are still open to the public on Saturday 2 November, so there’s still time to join us!

Check out these amazing moments from Careers Hive at the National Museum of Scotland! Our interactive zones are buzzing with excitement as students dive into hands-on STEM activities, explore various career pathways, and connect with inspiring STEM professionals. 🌟

From the Experience STEM Exhibition to the engaging Life After Leaving School panel discussions, Careers Hive offers a unique opportunity for students to discover their potential in the world of STEM.

Don't miss your chance to be part of this incredible event. Visit us before it's over and explore the endless possibilities of STEM careers!

Careers Hive is moo-ving minds and sparking futures in STEM! 🐄📸 Come explore the herd of opportunities before it’s too late! 

This year’s Careers Hive is supported by Baillie Gifford & Co, BlueFloat Energy & Nadara Partnership, Edina Trust, The City of Edinburgh Council, Hitachi Energy, Royal Academy of Engineering, British Army, Edinburgh Airport, Institute Of Acoustics, Maths Week Scotland, Muirhall Energy, Seebyte, STMicroelectronics NV and Vattenfall.

Thanks to Ian Photography for capturing these udderly 🐮 unforgettable moments of the students Max Connolly and Amy Mills from Vale of Levan Academy.🤳

👀 🎈 Street Science hits the streets again in Southern California! This time at the Getty Museum! (Getty Foundation)

These pop-up performances create a welcoming space for people to stop and watch. The performances are perfect for families or young audiences and are highly engaging. Our performers are full of high energy and welcome all to science and art. 🧪🎨

Find out more about PST ART and Edinburgh Science joining forces to create the PST ART: Art + Science Family Festival hosted by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

🔗 Link for more information about this three-day festival! https://bit.ly/4et5Ymv