There will be a host of talks, hands-on activities and demonstrations at Science in the Square.

Children to explore natural world at Science in the Square

Budding nature-lovers will be taken on a voyage of discovery to find out how animals have evolved to deal with friends and foe, at a special interactive event.

Scientists from the University of Exeter will share their knowledge of the circumstances that determine whether animals are lovers or fighters, when they host the popular Science in the Square event on Friday, 11 August.

The family-friendly event, part of Falmouth Week, gives people of all ages the chance to get hands-on with science alongside some of the best researchers in the country, based at the nearby Penryn Campus.

The event will see a series of short, fun talks given by scientists from the University, based on topics such as why animals have friends, why they have weapons, and why sea turtles cross the oceans.

There will also be a host of hands-on activities and demonstrations, which will allow visitors to become scientists for the day while exploring the natural world.

The event takes place in Events Square from 12-4pm.

Stuart Bearhop, Professor of Animal Ecology, said: “We know that children have an instinctive curiosity towards nature, and constantly explore the world around them. Events such as Science in the Square allow us to nurture this innate enthusiasm for both science and nature, and develop a greater appreciation and understanding of the role they play in their everyday lives.”

Dr Kelly Moyes will be asking why animals have friends in her talk. She said: “I’m really excited to be talking about some of the work that scientists at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus do to understand why animals live in groups.

“We know that as humans we really benefit from having friends and what we see is that it’s exactly the same in animals. Come along to Science in the Square to hear about how animals, large and small, benefit from having friends.”

Professor Dave Hosken will discuss why animals have weapons in his talk. He said: “Science in the Square is one way we say thank you to our local community, showcasing the amazing and fun science conducted by the University of Exeter right here in Cornwall. It is a great way for children (and adults) of all ages to experience science and the wonders of the natural world first hand.”

In addition Professor Annette Broderick will reveal why sea turtles cross oceans and Dr Kev Hughes will be talking about the benefits of switching to renewable energy.

There will also be seven interactive zones to explore including the Bone Zone where you can examine skulls and skeletons, the Live Zone, where you can meet wild animals, and the Marine Zone where you can discover the rocky-shore inhabitants that live in Falmouth.

For more information, visit the website.

What’s on at Science in the Square:

Short talks by our scientists:
12:30 Why do animals have friends?
Dr Kelly Moyes spent many years studying social animals in the field and will be asking why animals rely on friends to survive.
13:30 Why do animals have weapons?
Professor Dave Hosken is an expert in animal weaponry. He will be asking why animals from triceratops to termites develop teeth, claws, stings and horns that allow them to become deadly fighters.
14:30 Why burn fossil fuels?
Dr Kev Hughes is a lecturer in renewable energy. He will be talking about how we can use the power of the wind, sun and waves as an alternative to using fossil fuels.
15:30 Why do sea turtles cross oceans?
Professor Annette Broderick is a marine conservation scientist, with a particular interest in turtles. She uses satellites to track their movements across the planet to understand more about how they live their lives.

Interactive zones run by our experts:
Bone zone: Discover skulls and skeletons, find out how limbs work and attempt the skeleton challenge.
Marine zone: Meet the weird and wonderful rocky-shore inhabitants that live right here in Falmouth.
Live zone: Get up close and personal with wild animals! Hold a cockroach and meet the other bugs and beasties that we study in our labs and find out what barn owls eat by dissecting their pellets.
Mini beast zone: Learn to use a microscope and explore the magical mini-beasts of a garden pond.
Earth zone: Join our renewable energy engineers, geologists and miners as they explore alternatives to burning fossil fuels to meet the ever-growing energy demand of human beings and learn about the resources from the world around us that can help us do this. See the technologies in action, try them for yourself and find out how they work.
Craft zone: Get creative at our craft table with painting, colouring, mask making and face-painting, plus a free bouncy castle!
Adventure zone: Immerse yourself in the incredible adventures scientists go on all around the world, from the African plains to the deepest, darkest Bornean jungle.

Date: 1 August 2017