Posts tagged astronomy
Scibernia podcast episode 17: Mathemagicians, iPod chemistry and Vinny the sunfish
Oct 11th
In this episode, we preview the best events of the upcoming Maths Week, discuss the chemistry that makes gadgets work, and meet some big fish on a tour of the National Aquarium in Galway. Hit the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- We look ahead to some of the fun events taking place around the country during Maths Week, including circus tricks, maths at the zoo, magic and street events.
- In our ‘elevator scientist’ slot, Lenny asks Andy Shearer of the Centre for Astronomy at NUI Galway to describe his career in a nutshell.
- Simon Elliott from the Tyndall Institute in Cork tells us about the chemistry behind the electronic gadgets we use and what lies ahead for the chip industry.
- Where can you find people doing fish impressions on the radio? Right here in our Culture Corner! Triona gets her feet wet at the National Aquarium in Salthill, Galway.
Get in touch with us at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. And if you’ve got a science-y question that’s bugging you, email us and we’ll get a scientist to answer it!
Scibernia podcast episode 17: Mathemagicians, iPod chemistry and Vinny the sunfish [ 29:05 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadCheck out the latest science events!
Sep 19th
Here’s the scoop on science-y events happening in your area over the next few weeks:
Culture Night is Friday, the 23rd of September, when many museums, galleries and cultural centres stay open late to the public. One of these will be the Natural History Museum in Dublin, which will be running kids’ workshops from 4pm, and will remain open till 9pm, with rarely seen objects on display. Check out Museum.ie for more info.
European Researchers Night takes place on Friday, the 23rd of September, and to celebrate, NUI Galway is hosting a ‘Sea2Sky’ event in Salthill. This is a fun, free, family event, filled with experiments, quizzes and competitions. Visit sea2sky.ie for more details.
On Saturday the 24th of September, Niamh Donohoe will lead a walk of Dublin’s Botanic Gardens about medicinal plants, their history and their role in modern medicine. The walk starts at 2.30pm. Visit botanicgardens.ie for more info.
The Alchemist Café will host a talk by Vanessa Hyde about the monitoring of drug safety in Europe on the 24th of September, at 7.30pm sharp in the Mercantile in Dublin. Vanessa is a Medical Information and Regulatory Affairs Associate with 16 years in Quality Assurance in Clinical Research in Ireland. (You can check out their mailing list here).
First Fridays are back at Blackrock Castle Observatory. Kicking off at 6pm on October 7th with family workshops, followed by the Cork Science Café at 7pm, the evening is filled with lectures, star parties and fascinating science! Visit bco.ie for more details.
If you have an event you’d like us tell us about, email podcast@scibernia.ie, or post the details into a comment below.
Scibernia podcast episode 14: Deadly moons, star discoveries and ‘cutting edge’ technology
Sep 16th
In our latest episode, we get a bit space-y: an artist tells us why she encourages kids to draw the night sky, and we hear about the latest discoveries among pulsating stars (pulsars). We also explore some (literal) cutting-edge technology that could one day make animal dissection in the classroom obsolete. Hit the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or catch us on iTunes.
In this episode:
- Artist and amateur astronomer Deirdre Kelleghan tells us about her award-winning ’Deadly Moons‘ project, an educational drawing workshop for kids.
- Lenny went to Galway to talk to Andy Shearer of NUI Galway’s Centre for Astronomy about an unexpected discovery in pulsar research.
- Trinity College immunology student Craig O’Hare brings us up to speed on the technologies that could one day overtake the dissectionof animals in the classroom.
- And we have a guide to the latest science-related events in your area. (Thanks to Triona for compiling listings.)
Get in touch with us at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. And if you’ve got a science-y question that’s bugging you, email us and we’ll get a scientist to answer it!
Scibernia podcast episode 14: Deadly moons, star discoveries and 'cutting edge' technology [ 30:32 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadScience Events! (for the end of August)
Aug 17th
On Sunday 28th of August, our very own Tríona (that’s me!) will be presenting a squishy circuits workshop in the Science Gallery. Suitable for everyone from twelve to a hundred and twelve, the workshop involves building circuits and electronic sculptures from conductive dough. The workshop costs four euro per person. For further details and to book, visit sciencegallery.com/events
Astronomy Ireland’s annual fundraiser, the Star-B-Q, happens on Saturday August 27th in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. With Michelin-starred chefs and some of the most powerful telescopes in ireland, everyone is guaranteed a great evening. For further details on tickets and location, visit astronomy.ie
Yet more events for the weekend of the 27th and 28th of August! There will be a range of talks and guided walks at the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin to celebrate heritage week, from woodturning to a tour of the rare and old trees that inhabit the garden. Visit botanicgardens.ie for more details.
Irish Hackerspaces week is running from the 20th to the 28th of August. The various hackerspaces will host a range of events to get you thinking about starting your next project, whether it’s scientific, crafty or electronic. For information on your local space and the events they’ll be running visit tog.ie for Dublin, 091labs.com for Galway, hackerspacecork.com for Cork and milklabs.ie for Limerick.
Gravity is an art exhibition that is running in Cork’s Crawford art gallery until the 29th of October. The exhibit explores both physical and metaphysical interpretations of gravity. Over 29 artists are presenting at the exhibition, so there will be much to admire and enjoy. The gallery is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to five pm, and admission is free.
Don’t forget, if you have any science-related events you’d like us to tell people about, let us know! Drop us an email, tweet at us, or even just comment below!
Episode 10: Challenging Einstein, NASA’s last shuttle launch and the ancient science of Newgrange
Jul 21st
In this week’s podcast we take a whirlwind tour of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, talk to Blackrock Castle Observatory about the historic last shuttle launch for NASA and begin our Science Tour of Ireland with Tara and Newgrange. You can listen now by clicking the play button below or clicking ‘Download’, or you can subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- Dr Turlough Downes is an astrophysicist with Dublin City University and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. We talked to him about recent observations by the European Space Agency’s Integral satellite and ask if this has implications for Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and quantum theory.
- We begin our new ‘Science Tour of Ireland‘ segment by exploring the ancient environs of Tara and Newgrange. Scibernaut Gerard Cunningham talks us through the mastery of megalithic tombs that required scientific and astronomical knowledge.
- Atlantis was NASA’s 135th and last ever space shuttle launch. Lenny Antonelli talks to Blackrock Castle Observatory’s Alan Giltinan about the end of an era.
- Do brain training games really improve your mind? Sylvia Leatham asks Trinity College Dublin neuroscientist Prof Shane O’Mara for his expert opinion in our ‘Ask A Scientist’ section.
We’d love to hear your news, events, comments or suggestions — get in touch at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or become a fan on Facebook. And if you’ve got a science question that’s perplexing you, email us and we’ll find a scientist with an answer.
