Palma science night brings robots, ice cream and walks

Walking robots, a science ice cream experiment and six guided walks will be on offer at Moll Vell in Palma, Mallorca, on Friday for the European Researchers’ Night. The University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) is staging the programme outside the Palma Port Authority building, with city walks, hands-on experiments and short talks. The UIB describes the event as Europe’s leading science outreach occasion; the Balearic Islands programme is organised by the Regional Government’s Ministry of Education and Universities.

Six ways to see Palma differently

UIB researchers will lead six walks through Palma, looking at subjects including Renaissance Mallorca, maths by the sea, resuscitation, mental health in the city, early modern music and festivities, and the age of the brain.

Four walks set off at 17.00, followed by one at 17.30. The sixth and final route begins at 18.00, at the same time as the experiment displays open. Each walk has room for no more than 50 people and requires advance registration.

Robots, mosquitoes and stories

From 18.00 to 21.00, research groups from across the Balearic Islands will present experiments on gravitational physics, mosses, archaeology, maths and the brain. The UIB’s computer graphics, computer vision and artificial intelligence unit will demonstrate robots that walk, play and interact.

Other activities focus on mosquitoes and the Mosquito Alert app, scientific collections and a science ice cream experiment. Researchers will also give short stage talks on five minutes that could change a class, why teenage brains take more risks, and gravitational waves and dark matter.

New this year is a science storytelling activity for children. UIB researchers will pair science and imagination in four tales, including Thumbelina, The Three Little Pigs and My First Eclipse.

Topics: Education · Nature & wildlife · Culture · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com