Pint of Science: Scientists head to pubs and cafes in Yorkshire to share research as part of international festival

It proved to be inspirational for both visitors and researchers and the following year, a Pint of Science was born, this time taking scientists out in communities to meet people.

The pair wanted to “bring back the personal touch to science”, believing that everyone should have the opportunity to be curious and question local research.

It quickly took off around the world, growing from just three cities then to nearly 500 today.

Between May 22 and 24, the festival will take scientists and their research out of the lab and into pubs, cafes and community halls, to share their discoveries with a line up of talks, demonstrations and experiments in relaxed and informal environments.

For the festival’s tenth anniversary, topics range from the mysteries of the universe, to how our bodies work, the latest in technology and climate studies, art and science, and impacts on society and policy.

In Yorkshire, events will be taking place in Bradford, Hull, Leeds, York and Sheffield.

One of this year’s presenters, Dr Monika Myszczynska from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Neuroscience says: “A key component of the festival is that attendance is open to anyone who has even a passing interest in the realm of science and research, so there's no need to feel intimidated if you don't consider yourself a scientist or expert.

"There’s something for everyone and it’s a fantastic way to learn about our research in a relaxed and friendly environment.”

Dr Myszczynska will discuss how Artificial Intelligence can assist clinicians understand the human brain and AI's role in disease diagnosis and therapy in neuroscience. She says: “Artificial intelligence and its applications to everyday life remain a divisive hot topic both in the media and in academic settings.

"Whilst machine learning exists in the popular imagination as talking robots, or algorithms that can recommend a new film for us to watch, its uses in medicine can help us understand the very organ AI is meant to mimic - the human brain. My talk will attempt to shed some light on how and to what end AI is being used to study neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or motor neurone disease - from an initial diagnosis to treatment implementation. Trust me, it’s no science fiction.”

Tickets for each event cost £5 and the full programme can be viewed at pintofscience.co.uk