Power Up?
Everyone learnt about the energy challenge facing us all at the Power Up? zone.
Participants saw answers to the question: How can we balance our rising energy demands with the need to conserve resources?
Energy Rethinking:
We face a challenge around providing energy for a growing population while reducing our emissions. Visitors could find out more about some creative solutions to this challenge and could enter Shell's competition to come up with their own ideas. Visitors could understand how they use energy, where it comes from and how might it change in the future.
Guests could meet a Shell Eco-Marathon team and they found out how they managed 1645 miles per gallon compared to an average car which consumes about 70 mpg. Visitors also talked with some STEM graduates working at Shell – they were on hand to answer any questions on the careers and opportunities that Shell could provide.
Find out more about NNL.
Find out more about NPL.
The University of Manchester put on a show containing many of the classic chemistry demonstration experiments involving lots of flashes, bangs and of course colour changes. As well as being entertaining, the chemistry behind the demonstration experiments was explained.
Also, they had another show that explained how the electricity we use is generated and how it is sent across the country. The show involved audience participation and highlighted the energy challenges the world faces.
IChemE
Institution of Railway Signal Engineers
Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers
Energy Institute
Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation
Institute of Cast Metal Engineers
Institution of Structural Engineers
Institute of Marine, Engineering, Science & Technology
The Nuclear Institute
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Fantastic Light and the Light Fantastic
From the weak glimmer of distant galaxies to the powerful beams of lasers, light helps scientists understand the way the universe works. Guests came and discovered how.
Tower of Light
The World of Light TOWER OF LIGHT, was a floor to ceiling mesh tower of lighting with different lighting equipment inside (and light pollution information and demonstrations). It was a striking focal point surrounded by activity stations. The activities were designed to be inclusive, hands-on, inspirational and educational. Alight Here was a fairground exploring light's psychological effects; All Change looked at what happens to colour under different types of light; Light Matters investigated the environment; Find the Blue Sweet was a popular and fun introduction to colour rendering; Hands-On Lighting gave visitors the chance to find out what life's like as an engineer; the Purkinje effect hands on demo used red light to jaw-dropping effect.
NOISE
NOISE is a UK-wide campaign funded by the EPSRC. Aiming to raise awareness of science and engineering among the general public, it used fun and interactive science demos and experiments to intrigue and excite people about STEM.
Arkwright
The Arkwright Scholarships Trust is an independent Charity founded in 1991 to promote Engineering and Technological Careers to Year 11 students through Affiliated Schools' Design & Technology Department. At The Big Bang Fair, they demonstrated a hands on activity for D&T Teachers developed by an Arkwright affiliated school and sponsor.
Society for the Environment
At the Society for the Environment stand the task was to construct and modify a simple solar water heater to generate the largest temperature increase in 5 litres of water over a 30 minute period. To find out more, visit www.bigbangsolarpanel.info.
Coffee Powered car from Bang Goes The Theory
Throughout 2010 the BBC will be celebrating its ongoing commitment to science. Kick-starting this celebration the Bang Goes The Theory team joined up with The Big Bang.
Presenter Jem Stansfield drove a car, powered only by coffee beans, from London to Manchester, and arrived on the first day of The Fair, Thursday 11th March.
BBC Learning was also at the event along with BBC 21CC and its School News Report.
Theatre Shows
Thursday
| 10:00 am | Power to the People |
| 10:30 am | The Flash Bang Show |
| 11:00 am | Electric Earth |
| 11:30 | Speed Networking |
| Midday | Guess the scientist |
| 12:30 pm | Power to the People |
| 1:00 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 1:30 pm | Electric Earth |
| 2:00 pm | Guess the scientist |
| 2:30 pm | Speed Networking |
| 3:00 pm | Power to the People |
| 3:30 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 4:00 pm | Electric Earth |
Friday
| 10:00 am | Power to the People |
| 10:30 am | The Flash Bang Show |
| 11:00 am | Electric Earth |
| 11:30 | Speed Networking |
| Midday | Guess the scientist |
| 12:30 pm | Power to the People |
| 1:00 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 1:30 pm | Electric Earth |
| 2:00 pm | Guess the scientist |
| 2:30 pm | Speed Networking |
| 3:00 pm | Power to the People |
| 3:30 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 4:00 pm | Electric Earth |
Saturday
| 10:30 am | Power to the People |
| 11:00 am | The Flash Bang Show |
| 11:30 | Speed Networking |
| Midday | Electric Earth |
| 12:30 pm | Power to the People |
| 1:00 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 1:30 pm | Electric Earth |
| 2:00 pm | Power to the People |
| 2:30 pm | Speed Networking |
| 3:00 pm | The Flash Bang Show |
| 3:30 pm | Electric Earth |
