Manchester Science Festival 2007

The inaugural Manchester Science Festival ran from 20-28 October 2007.

Addiction, robots, built environment, genetics, junk music, and Doctor Who were among the topics featured. Singing sand, taking the perfect free kick and the science behind champagne were just some of the mysteries explained.

The festival cropped up in the Manchester Evening News and The Guardian, as part of BBC Radio 4’s Material World, and on BBC Northwest Tonight.

The events were themed around six topical areas:

• ‘Manchesticity'
  the city's endeavours, achievements, people, places and ideas
• Mind & Body
  activities and topics about our brains and brawn
• Planet
  exploring our impact on and use of the earth, and looking into space
• Extra-Ordinary
  the science, technology and engineering of the everyday
• Past, Present, Future
  looking forward and back in time
• Lifestyle
  the science of all things fun - food, shopping, sport, music, and more!

In 2007, Manchester Science Festival:

• Promoted 248 events reaching an audience of 50,000+ people
• Delivered a hands-on schools programme in 10 Greater Manchester areas, working with 48 schools and nearly 2000 teenagers
• Worked in 31 key venues across Greater Manchester, presenting a diversity of activities, from walks and demonstrations to exhibitions and films
• Worked with more than 25 cultural, scientific and business partner organisations to develop the festival