Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is hosting its first-ever Chelmsford Science Festival between the 12th and the 18th of October. The centrepiece of the festival will be the Gaia artwork in Chelmsford Cathedral.

Events throughout the festival will include free public lectures, workshops, exhibitions, drop-in sessions, and hands on activities.

A special guest: the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman, will also give a talk at the festival’s inaugural. She’ll talk about the eight days she spent orbiting the Earth and about her vigorous training prior to this experience.

Helen’s talk is just one of the fascinating events taking place. The festival will see world leading experts speaking about issues ranging from the future of work, to the secrets of visual short-term memory, and from the science of getting fit to how nano-technology can benefit all aspects of our lives.

During the festival you can explore UK’s electric vehicle infrastructure, experience Forecast 22, the new digital artwork and exhibition at Chelmsford Museum or learn more about nature and why it’s so beneficial for us from psychologist Prof Viren Swami.

The event will also include a Family Science Day taking place at ARU’s Chelmsford campus from 10am until 4pm on Saturday, 15 October. On the day you’ll have the chance to meet Titan the Robot, see shows from Cloud Factory and Bubble Superstars, and even experience a different body through virtual reality.

All the events at the festival are free to attend, bookings must be made in advance as places are limited, visit: https://aru.ac.uk/community-engagement/chelmsford-science-festival