Welcome to Day Eight of our first virtual Midlothian Science Festival. Each day we’ll release a new page of links to content about the science on your doorstep, and further afield. Every day there’ll be things to read, videos to watch and of course experiments for you to do at home!
Today we have live events at 2pm and 4pm (book your free place using the links below) as well as a selection of activities to do at any time.
As ever, the Midlothian Science Festival is all about sharing science with people in Midlothian, and we need your help! Spread the news, follow the Festival on Twitter and Facebook, share our posts and most importantly. tag us on social media and add your pictures to let us know what you’re enjoying about Midlothian Science Festival 2020.
Find us on Twitter @MidlothSciFest and on Facebook @MidlothianScienceFestival and tag us using #MSFonline
 
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Each year the Fun Scientists support our festival with their fun family science shows. This year we’re delighted to announce that they’re taking their shows online, with two new shows each day until Saturday!
Today’s 2pm show is the first of our Science Parties. Follow the link to book your free place, and if you want to take part at home, check out the short equipment list (all household items). |
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The Fun Scientists second show today at 4pm and will be the second of our science parties.
Follow the link to book your free place, and check out the equipment list (all household items) if you want to take part at home. (This event will be similar to the 2pm show but you are welcome to join both) |
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Hope Beyond Hype is a comic that tells the story of how stem cell researchers are trying to move stem cell research on towards clinical trials and therapies.
You can also read and listen to interviews with the people behind the comic. |
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Join vets and scientists at the University of Edinburgh’s Easter Bush Campus in Midlothian for a series of talks about animal health and disease.
From podgy ponies to eliminating rabies in Africa, hear how vets and scientists work together to improve animal health across the world. |
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Take a virtual tour of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, home to scientists studying stem cells, disease and tissue repair to improve human health. |
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Today’s video from Midlothian’s Newbattle Beekeepers is all about bee swarming. |
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Colour-in to celebrate vaccines! Have a go at this collection of colouring-in images for adults and children from the British Society of Immunology – print them out or colour them directly on your PC or tablet. |
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Check out issue four of the Sharing Things podcast from the University of Edinburgh, featuring Professor Rowland Kao, an epidemiologist from the Roslin Institute in conversation with poet and novelist Claire Askew. | 
Sharing Things – vintage stuff, lost meanings and viral transmission |
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Getting creative can support our own health, help keep us well and recover too. Check out the Creative Care Kit, a collection of cultural and creative resources to keep you entertained, engaged and connected as we continue to practice physical distancing, developed by Manchester Museum and other organisations across Greater Manchester. |
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Our friends at STEAM Experiments have put together lots of experiments that you can try at home. They have also provided links to the science behind the experiments, to make the activities suitable for all ages.
Today’s activities are a selection of Maths challenges. |
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We have partnered with our friends at the Silesian Science Festival in Poland to bring the first ever international content to our festival. We have four videos for you today:
PIŁKA NOŻNA JAKO FENOMEN NAUKA CZYTANIA DLA DEMOKRACJI (READING COURSE FOR DEMOCRACY) Considers the importance of reading books at school to create a democratic society. DLACZEGO PSEUDONAUKA DZIAŁA (WHY PSEUDOSCIENCE WORKS) Hear from a scientist who deciphers and combats pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. ATLASY MÓZGU LUDZKIEGO (HUMAN BRAIN ATLAS) Hear from one of the most renowned Polish scientists, creator of numerous anatomy atlases, about his research on the human brain. |
You may need to adjust the subtitles on these videos
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How do Butterflies drink? Why do leaves change colour in Autumn?
Find the answers to these questions and more in a series of videos and activities from the Royal Society of Biology, including experiments for you to do at home! Don’t forget to share your results: @MidlothSciFest @RoyalSocBio #MSFonline |
How do butterflies drink? and other experiments
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Based at the University of Edinburgh, the SCI-FUN Roadshow has been delivering interactive activities to school and community groups for 25 years, including at the Midlothian Science Festival.
They’re sharing some of their favourite activities that can be done at home using basic materials. |
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Play the Dr Data computer game from the CoMorMent research project to see whether you’ve got the skills to be a scientist in charge of a Big Data project.
You need to keep Knowledge, Ethics, Money and People in balance and make decisions – but be warned, every decision has consequences! |
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Get creative making paper chain people, and find out how, in the future, doctors might use DNA tests to help them decide which medicine to prescribe.
Share a photo of your paper chain people on Twitter @CoMorMent |
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Travel the World
We would love you to travel around the world with us on a summer Dynamic Earth Staycation from the comfort of our very own homes. Don’t forget to keep in touch along the way, we would love to see pictures from your adventure using the hashtags #DynamicEarthOnline and #DEStaycation! and of course #MSFonline |
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Don’t forget you can see and book all of our free online live shows for the week here
Missed a day? No problem! See all of our festival content so far here
