Tuesday, February 9th - Cafe-at-Explore

Photons - information's best defence?

As we head into a new decade we realise that our lives are not only based in reality but stored, manipulated and sent endlessly through the virtual world in the form of information. Our phone calls, bank details, emails, passwords and PINs are constantly being exchanged and reviewed but it is important we ask the question "Is my information secure?"

A new vision of complete security will be offered at February's Science Café by Alex Clark from the Centre for Quantum Photonics at Bristol University. Particles called photons from the quantum mechanical world can carry information in an entirely secure fashion, giving new possibilities for technology.

We'll begin the evening with an introduction to quantum communication from Alex, take part in some demonstrations, and then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of information security and this new quantum communication technology. Check no-one's watching over your shoulder.

Monday, February 22nd -Tobacco Factory

Knit a Neuron

Pick up your needles and hooks and bring them along to a different sort of Science Cafe. Meet neuroscientists and discuss the latest research on the brain, make some brain cells, contribute to a comunal art work and help raise funds for a charity.

The Knit a Neuron project is a collaborative science, yarn, art project. We need your help to make hundreds of woolly brain cells. These will be sewn together to make a display which will be used to raise funds for the Head Injury Therapy Endowment Fund. Eventually, the work of art will find a home in the Brain Imaging department of the University of Bristol. We'll provide the science, the patterns and even the yarn. You bring your needles or hooks and enthusiasm for knit, crochet and science (you can get stash diving if you want - bring along some of those ends of balls of yarn you can't bring yourself to throw away and put them to good use).

Don't worry if it's been a while since you knitted or crocheted, or if you've never done it before, there's plenty you can do, or just come for the chat!

http://knitaneuron.blogspot.com/