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Around Town

Let’s get physics, y’all Kirstin Innes finds out about Social Science, an evening of fun, games, science and silliness for grown-ups

T here are certain ‘childish’ ways of being that we’re encouraged to leave behind when we grow up. Throwing tantrums in the street, for example, or scratching yourself there in public. Unfortunately, just simply playing, and indulging a wide-eyed sense of discovery tend also to be dropped, in favour of paying bills, say. And know what? It’s just. Not. FAIR.

Fortunately, the nice people at Glasgow Science Centre have come up with a way to let you indulge your inner kiddiwink. ‘We’ve been running a lot of events for corporations and businesses, and noticed that the participants love to come and play with the exhibits, look into all the toys and demonstrations we’ve got,’ says Ian Wilson of the Science Centre. ‘When we’re open to the public, though, we have a lot of families come in, and the adults tend to stand back and let the kids get into everything. So, we thought we’d try out an evening that we can make appealing to adults: they can come into the centre, have a glass of wine, and really enjoy playing.’

It’s a model that has been run with considerable success at London’s Science Museum: open up the whole building, exhibits, demonstrations and all, after hours between 6–9pm, offer people coming after

work a drink and a buffet dinner, and showcase a series of demonstrations and hands-on events, as well as allowing grown-ups first shot at the exhibits. Scottish Ballet will kick things off with a few short excerpts from their upcoming production of The Nutcracker, there will be optional fact-finding shows demonstrating the amazing properties of substances like liquid nitrogen, and then the messy stuff begins. ‘Ah yes. The custard run! Alright, here comes the science bit. Custard is a fixatropic liquid: a liquid with a solid suspended in it. If you move slowly through it, the liquid separates, but if you run quickly, it stays together so technically it ought to be possible to run through a paddling pool of custard without getting your feet wet: we’re inviting people to try that theory out for themselves.’ It’s a full programme for one evening. How did

Wilson and team decide which elements to put on?

‘Well, we simply consulted the periodic table!’ Was that a science joke? ‘Yes. It was. Sorry.’

Social Science, Glasgow Science Centre, Fri 27 Nov, 6–9pm. Tickets £8.25, special after- screening of Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D at the IMAX, £4.50.

www.list.co.uk/aroundtown Hitlist WORDS AND WONDERS *

✽✽ Edinburgh Lecture: John Byrne in Conversation The Glaswegian artist and playwright discusses his varied career and reflects on Scottish art and culture. Royal Society of Edinburgh, Thu 3 Dec. ✽✽ Salt of the Earth Craig Mackay explores aspects of emigration and internationalism through photographs of well- known Scots, and international figures with Scottish connections. See review in the Visual Art section, page 92. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, until Sun 10 Jan. ✽✽ Presenting Edinburgh’s Dangerous Ideas Aubrey Manning chairs a lecture/discussion on the anniversary of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square and George Square, Mon 23 Nov, 6pm. ✽✽ DiScomBoBuLate This month’s excellent line-up includes Bernard MacLaverty, Ewan Morrison and the brilliant, Booker-nominated young author Sarah Hall. The Arches, Glasgow, Tue 1 Dec. ✽✽ First Thursday A new monthly showcase for the many arts and cultural ventures in this year’s most exciting development. Trongate 103, Glasgow, Thu 3 Dec. ✽✽ Mother of Purl A multi-disciplinary craft happening with performance, poetry, food and discussion. Drop in or stay the whole afternoon. Street Level Photo Works, Glasgow, Sat 28 Nov. 19 Nov–3 Dec 2009 THE LIST 33