It's that time of year again - The World Science Festival is in town. Every year since 2008, the WSF has brought cutting edge science programs to the city. The events range from large ones, set in the grandeur of Lincoln Center to one-on-one marine biology lessons on a fishing pier while wearing a pair of waders.
If you love science and are looking for something to do this weekend, then check out the website at www.worldsciencefestival.com to take a look at the 50 different events. As they say at WSF, "5 Days. 50 Events. Go to Know." Although some of the events may be sold out, there are many that still have seats available or are non-ticketed. Some of the events require purchasing tickets, but, many are free and open to all ages.
There are so many different topics such as the newest cutting edge genetic advances, how science influences baking or factors into art restoration, the Life Story of Albert Einstein, the announcement of the Kavli Prize, and many others - there is bound to be something for everyone.
I will be at "Awakening the Mind: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Oliver Sacks" tonight, and am hoping to make it to a few more before the festival ends.
Here are some of my top picks:
Awakening the Mind: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Oliver Sacks
Awakening the Mind is a tribute to the remarkable life and work of Dr. Oliver Sacks whom The New York Times called "a poet laureate of contemporary medicine" and "one of the great clinical writers of the twentieth century."
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 (8:00 PM-9:30 PM)
NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
Making Waves: The Moth at the World Science Festival
In partnership with The Moth, the Peabody Award-winning storytelling collective, The World Science Festival brings esteemed scientists, writers, and innovators to the stage to share stories of their personal relationships with science.
Thursday, June 2, 2016 (7:30 PM-9:00 PM)
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
Splicing and Dicing DNA: Genome Engineering and the CRISPR Revolution
CRISPR: It’s the powerful gene editing technology transforming biomedical research. Fast, cheap and easy to use, it allows scientists to rewrite the DNA in just about any organism—including humans—with tests on human embryos already underway.
Friday, June 3, 2016 (8:00 PM-9:30 PM)
Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College
Flame Challenge: What is Sound? (Great for kids)
Alan Alda has issued this year's challenge to the world's top scientists: What is sound? In an action-packed hour of interactive demonstrations, Alan and a team of communication experts invite the audience to explore what we hear, how we hear, and what that means for different species. The program also highlights the winners of the 2016 Flame Challenge, in which video and written explanations of sound were judged for clarity’s sake…by 20,000 eleven year-olds.
Sunday, June 5, 2016 (1:30 PM-2:30 PM)
NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday Night Lights: Stargazing in Brooklyn Bridge Park (FREE and great for kids)
It is possible to see the stars in the city! Step up to a world-class telescope (or bring your own) for an outdoor party beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Saturday, June 4, 2016 (7:00 PM-11:00 PM)
Brooklyn Bridge Park - Pier 1
The Great Fish Count (FREE and great for kids)
Strap on a pair of waders, cast a net and see what type of marine life you can find in the New York waterways—from Lemon Creek in Staten Island to the shores of Fort Washington Park. Led by top ecologists and biologists, the Great Fish Count gives participants of all ages the chance to discover the underwater world in their own backyard.
Saturday, June 4, 2016 (10:00 AM-4:00 PM)
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS: See website
Science and Story Cafe (FREE)
Join top science authors for coffee and conversation, shop our carefully curated selection of science books, and have your books signed by participating authors.
Saturday, June 4, 2016 (12:30 PM-4:00 PM)
NYU Kimmel Center, Commuter Lounge
Sports Analyst’s Apprentice
Think you’re on a hot streak? Become an athletics analytics expert with Tim Chartier, Davidson College math professor and frequent sports show contributor, including ESPN’s Sports Science.
Sunday, June 5, 2016 (11:00 AM-12:30 PM)
NYU Kimmel Center
Street Science (FREE and great for kids)
The World Science Festival takes over Washington Square Park with STREET SCIENCE, a buzzing metropolis of science, technology, engineering, and mathematical explorations.
Sunday, June 5, 2016 (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
Washington Square Park
Science Goes to the Movies
In this live edition of CUNY TV's "Science Goes to the Movies," journalist Faith Salie and neuroscientist Heather Berlin lead an exploration of the technical, ethical, and psychological effects of drone warfare, as dramatically depicted in clips from films such as “Eye in the Sky.” Join a lively and engaging conversation sweeping across the battlefield and the big screen.
Thursday, June 2, 2016 (7:30 PM-9:00 PM)
Museum of the Moving Image
Light Falls: Space, Time and an Obsession of Einstein
Described by The New York Times as a “cerebral spectacle with a theatrical twist,” Light Falls tells the dramatic story of Albert Einstein's electrifying journey toward one of the most beautiful ideas ever conceived—the General Theory of Relativity.
Friday, June 3, 2016 (8:00 PM-9:30 PM)
NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
