London Dana Centre Cafe
|
Launched September 2004
|
|
|
|
Date:
|
22nd September 2004 -launch
event |
| Title: |
'The Science of Cooking'
|
Speaker:
|
Peter
Barham
–
molecular gastronomist |
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the first of its four-part dinner
series exploring cravings. This month, molecular gastronomist Peter Barham
unravels the science of cooking, from pepper mill to palate - all over a
delicious dinner. This evening costs £10 per person which includes a
two-course meal and a drink.
|
Date:
|
20th October, 6-30pm |
| Title: |
'The
Battleground of Love and Lust'
|
Speaker:
|
Dr Petra
Boynton
–
sex psychologist |
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the second of its dinner series exploring
cravings. This month, sex psychologist Dr Petra Boynton explores the
battleground of love and lust - all over a delicious dinner promised to make
you swoon.
This evening costs £10 per person which includes a two-course
meal and a drink.
|
Date:
|
17th November, 6-30pm |
| Title: |
'The
Battleground of Love and Lust'
|
Speaker:
|
Professor
Russell Foster, biologist |
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the third of its dinner series
exploring cravings. In this dark and dreary month, come and discuss what you
lack most: light. Professor Russell Foster, biologist and author of The
Rhythms of Life, explores our hankering for sunshine, all over a delicious
dinner.
|
Date:
|
19th January 2005, 6-30pm |
| Title: |
|
Speaker:
|
|
| Description: |
Contemplating the spectacle that is the January sales, we
explore the desire to shop. Do we have a biological urge to buy? Are
shopaholics really addicted? Nigel Marlow, a Consumer and Business
Psychologist at London Metropolitan University, leads the discussion while
you dine.
|
Date:
|
18th
May, 6:30pm |
| Title: |
‘Stress in the workplace’
|
Speaker:
|
Eric
Brunner - Senior lecturer in epidemiology at University
College London.
|
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the fourth in its dinner series
exploring the fragility of the human mind. This month, Eric Brunner will
discuss recent research in stress and it’s relevance to our experiences in
the workplace. He will explore the place of social status in how people
respond to such stress.This evening costs £10 per person which includes a two-course
meal and a drink.
|
Date:
|
15th
June, 6:30pm |
| Title: |
‘Criminal minds’
|
Speaker:
|
Annie
Bartlett – Clinical Director of Forensic Sciences at Springfield
Hospital.
|
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the fifth in its dinner series
exploring the fragility of the human mind. The Victorian phrenologists
claimed they could tell a criminal from a law-abiding citizen by the
contours of their skull. In the age of brain scans and theories of criminal
psychopathy are we any further on? This month, Annie Bartlett will discuss
the differences between male and female criminals.
This evening costs £10 per person which includes a two-course
meal and a drink.
|
Date:
|
20th
July, 6:30pm |
| Title: |
‘Malicious migranes’
|
Speaker:
|
Dr Andy
Dowson – Director of the Headache Service, Kings College Hospital.
|
| Description: |
Café Scientifique presents the sixth in its dinner series
exploring the fragility of the human mind. Those who suffer from them will
agree that a migrane is a great deal more than just a headache. Attacks can
be completely disabling, forcing the sufferer to abandon everyday activities
for days at a time. This month, Dr Andy Dowson will tackle the most common
neurological condition in the developed world, which affects more people
than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined.
This evening costs £10 per person which includes a two-course
meal and a drink.
|
Date:
|
19th October |
| Title: |
'Do fish fall in
love?' |
Speaker:
|
|
| Description: |
Or is
their attention span too short for such complex emotion? Do plants feel
pain? Or are they mearely cold masses of tissue? Professor Brian J Ford
explores the notion that other animals may also be sensitive and sentient
rather than simply passive and reactive. There will also be an opportunity
to buy signed copies of his fascinating book, Sensitive Souls.
|
Date:
|
16th November |
| Title: |
'Was Einstein right?'
|
Speaker:
|
|
| Description: |
It was Einstein who said, "To me, the most incomprehensible thing about the
universe is that it
is
comprehensible."
As
Einstein Year draws to a close, we ask if he did fully comprehend the
universe – or are there points at which Einstein fails?
|
Date:
|
14th December |
| Title: |
'What Darwin can’t
explain' |
Speaker:
|
|
| Description: |
Evolution via natural
selection was Darwin’s master theory. Yet while survival of the fittest can
explain the shape of a finch’s beak, can it tell us how exploding termites
came about? Dinner@Dana shows us how to create cooperation from selfish
genes.
|
Date:
|
Wednesday 25th January |
|
| Title: |
Cracking the Chemical Code
|
|
Speaker:
|
Philip Stewart,
University of Oxford |
|
| Description: |
Ecologist Philip Stewart of the University of Oxford talks about the
development of the Periodic table - the visual display behind which the
secrets of the elements chemical code lie. He discusses the inspiration for
his Chemical Galaxy, an exciting new version of Mendeleev's masterpiece.
|
|
Date:
|
15th
February 2006; 6.30pm to 9pm
|
| Title: |
Bletchley Park and the Enigmas
|
Speaker:
|
Christopher Little,
Bletchley Park |
| Description: |
Top-secret codes, ciphers and the dark art of cryptography the story of
Bletchley Park still pushes our buttons. Join us for a cracking Café
Scientifique evening as we unscramble how the German Enigma and Lorenz
ciphers were broken.
Bletchley Park was
the top secret WWII
British codebreaking centre, home to the world's first programmable digital
electronic computers invented specifically for codebreaking. Find out what
made the Enigma and Lorenz machines so formidable and how Bletchley's
brilliant mathematicians broke the ciphers.
|
Date:
|
22nd March 2006; 6.30pm to 9pm
|
| Title: |
Decoding the mind
|
Speaker:
|
Seth Grant, Sanger Institute |
| Description: |
In the aftermath of
the human genome project the race is on to discover how our 25,000 genes
work together to create the people we are. Professor Seth Grant of the
Sanger Institute talks about his work decoding some of the key genes
involved in cognition and behaviour, explaining how the power of our minds
may be 1,000 times greater than we formerly predicted. He discusses how
these developments could offer new insights into how the brain evolved, how
it functions and how it is affected in disease.
|
Date:
|
27th April 2006; 6.30pm to 9pm
|
| Title: |
How
feathers saved the dinosaurs
|
Speaker:
|
Matt Wilkinson |
| Description: |
Contrary to popular belief, dinosaurs
almost certainly did not become extinct 65 million years ago. At least not
quite.
There is now overwhelming evidence that one
group, including dinosaur superstars like
Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor, developed feathers and
eventually gave rise to modern birds. Dr Matt Wilkinson, zoologist from the
University of Cambridge and FameLab runner-up, explains how the lords of the
Earth conquered the skies in one of the most extraordinary and controversial
evolutionary stories.
|
Date:
|
Wednesday June 21st |
| Title: |
Midsummer dreams ... |
Speaker:
|
Peter Naish, The Open University |
| Description: |
Take a trip into the subconscious and explore
the science of hypnosis. Does hypnosis really work? If so, what makes the
brain susceptible? Peter Naish will try to separate science from fiction.
More information on the
Dana Centre website
|
Date:
|
Wednesday 13th September |
| Title: |
Gastro-thrills! |
Speaker:
|
David Loong |
| Description: |
In the first of our series
on the science of food, Dinner@Dana gets experimental in the kitchen. Take
your taste buds on a thrilling ride as we serve a special gastro-science
menu, designed in collaboration with our guest scientist.
Dr David Loong, FameLab
2006 finalist from Imperial College, will guide you through the chemistry of
aroma and flavour and explain the science behind what we eat.
How does the way you chew
and swallow your food affect its taste? Why do some unusual flavours just
seem to work so well when we put them together?
But food sensations aren’t
all about aroma and flavours – prepare to go beyond the five taste
sensations on a gastro thrill!
Why does chilli make us
feel ‘hot’, and mint feels ‘cool’? Can peppercorns cause a numbing effect,
and why should you drink milk after eating curry?
Come experiment with your
taste buds and hear the chemistry behind what we eat.
|
|
Date: |
Thursday, 2nd
November |
| Title: |
Gastro-science extra! |
| Speaker: |
David Loong |
| Description: |
Owing to the massive
popularity of the Gastro-Science series, Dinner@Dana is coming back for
a second helping of chemistry and cooking. Everything you wanted to know
about food but were too afraid to ask!
Do you have a food question
for Dinner@Dana food chemist David Loong? No matter how obscure or silly
they are, e-mail them to
talk@danacentre.org.uk,
and David will research the answers to the ones that tickle his taste
buds. Come along to the event and listen to the answers while you dive
into a delicious meal.
Why are chicken-flavoured
crisps suitable for vegetarians? How do you get children to eat
broccoli? Could we use Pavlov’s famous dog experiment to train ourselves
to eat food we don’t like? Why do pregnant women get cravings? David
will take on any question you can think of!
|
|
Date: |
Wednesday 8th
November |
| Title: |
Extreme Science |
| Speaker: |
|
| Description: |
Join Dinner@Dana as we begin a season of extreme science.
Café Scientifique has sought out scientists and survivors working in
some of the toughest conditions on the planet. Come explore the limits
of human endurance over dinner and drinks.
|
|
Date: |
Tuesday 12th
December |
| Title: |
Life in the deep-freeze |
| Speaker: |
|
| Description: |
Hostile, yet breathtakingly beautiful, the Antarctic is
full of extremes. Discover how scientists from the British Antarctic
Survey live and carry out vital research in the coldest, highest and
windiest continent on the planet.Engineer Mike
Rose works for the British Antarctic Survey at the sharp end - designing
and running the scientific equipment that is crucial for a complete
understanding of Antarctica and its importance to our planet. His work
has taken him to Antarctica 11 times, once for 27 months straight!
Join Dinner@Dana as Mike shows us the reality of life in the Antarctic
with some dramatic images, and explains why science in this most remote
of places is essential to us all.
|
|
Date: |
Tuesday 13th
June |
| Title: |
Angels, demons, anti-matter |
| Speaker: |
Rolf Landua, CERN |
| Description: |
Antimatter is a real substance that has fuelled the plots
of many fictions. In the novel 'Angels and Demons' by bestselling author
Dan Brown, a secret society want to destroy the Vatican using an
antimatter bomb. The antimatter was said to have been stolen from CERN,
the European laboratory for particle physics. Its physicist Leonardo
Vetra (a fictitious character) was horrifically murdered in mysterious
circumstances. Could any of these things ever happen?
Antimatter physicist Rolf Landua, CERN's 'real-life Leonardo Vetra',
will be jetting in from Switzerland to explain the science that fiction
cannot imagine (possibly taking the X-33 spaceplane). In 1995 CERN
became the first place in the world to successfully create antimatter.
Since then, its physicists have been routinely producing it in the
'antimatter factory'. How do they make this stuff? Where do they keep
it? And what is it used for?
Brace yourself for some strange science and an
imaginative menu inspired by the talk!
|
|
Date: |
Wednesday 11 July |
|
Title: |
Birth of the World Wide Web |
|
Speaker: |
Robert Cailliau, co-developer of the World
Wide Web |
|
Description: |
It's not every day that you meet someone who
revolutionised your life. Rarer still is someone who achieved this for
populations on a global scale. Meet Robert Cailliau.
According to web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, 'At
the marriage of hypertext and the Internet, Robert was the best man.' In
1989, when convincing others of the excitement of the web was an uphill
struggle, Cailliau was its ultimate evangelist. His 'genius for spreading
the gospel' and a fastidious eye for detail complemented Berners-Lee's
creative grand vision. Together, they formed a synergetic partnership to
bring an ambitious idea into our everyday reality.
In the grand finale of a series of
Dinner@Dana with speakers from CERN (the
European laboratory for particle physics in Switzerland, and the place where
the web was born), hear the first-hand account of how Berners-Lee, Cailliau
and other collaborators fought passionately for the web and nurtured its
development. Theirs was not the only idea around at the time, so how did
they succeed where many others failed? Also, find out why the web still has
some way to go before achieving Berners-Lee's original vision and dine on a
special menu inspired by the web! |
|
Date: |
Wednesday 23rd
January |
|
Title: |
It's only a game! |
|
Speaker: |
Jonathon Parke,
Centre for the Study of Gambling, University of Salford |
|
Description: |
Wanna play?
Dinner@Dana's
new series explores the science and psychology behind fun and games. We
start by looking into the psychology behind one of the world's biggest
addictions: gambling.
Jonathon Parke, psychologist and lecturer in gambling studies, joins us to
discuss what gambling and gambling addiction really are. Britons make up a
third of online gamblers in Europe, so are we as a nation becoming more
addicted? Find out why gambling is so addictive and analyse the traits of
people who are more likely to get hooked.
Perhaps it's not all down to us … what about the game creators? Is it
possible to design a game with the purpose of making it addictive? How do
game designers go about it? Or maybe it's our environment that contributes
to the addiction?
The number of people gambling in the UK is increasing every day. Join us at
Dinner@Dana
to find out why, and what we can do to prevent ourselves becoming hooked on
the buzz of winning. |
|
Date: |
Wednesday 20th
February |
|
Title: |
The game of love |
|
Speaker: |
Davina Bristow |
|
Description: |
Wanna play?
Dinner@Dana's
new series explores the science and psychology behind fun and games.
Dinner@Dana wltm
single, fun-loving individuals for a night of food, wine and love. GSOH/sociable/an
interest in science a plus. Must be tolerant of silly games and not be
afraid to laugh at oneself.
Allow us to meddle with your love life in the
name of science! As part of our Fun and Games series, Dinner@Dana gets
together with Dr Davina Bristow to create a singles night inspired by the
science of love. Join us for an evening of food, wine and more...
If the best way to the heart is through the
stomach, then our two-course dinner will help you fuel your amorous
appetite. Davina will delve into the neurochemistry of love and lay down the
‘rules of attraction’ according to scientific research. We’ve even devised a
few games based on her talk to help you get acquainted with your fellow
diners. At the end of the night, it’s up to you to decide if the chemistry
is right.
This is a dating event designed especially for singles aged 21 to 36. To
attend you must be single and be able to stay for the duration of the event.
Please include the following information at
the time of booking:
This event starts at promptly 18.30; please
arrive 20 minutes early for registration. Places are limited to 30 men and
30 women. |
|
Date: |
Wednesday 18th June |
|
Title: |
Copying nature |
|
Speaker: |
Jonathan Wood |
|
Description: |
Imagine if we could hang by one toe from the
ceiling like geckos, or create a material with the same patterns as
butterfly wings. Jonathan Wood talks about biomimetics and how exploring
nature can help us come up with ground-breaking technologies.
www.danacentre.org.uk/events/2008/06/18 |
|
Date: |
Wednesday 22 October |
|
Title: |
Size Matters |
|
Speaker: |
Steve Bloom |
|
Description: |
Why are so many
of us excessively overweight? What can be done to halt the 'obesity
epidemic'? Professor Steve Bloom explores how our innate tendency to pile on
the pounds has gone from useful environmental
adaptation to global health crisis. |
|
Date: |
Wednesday 19 November |
|
Title: |
Our ancestral roots |
|
Speaker: |
Timothy Clack |
|
Description: |
Is our
modern way of living wearing you out? Come and find out how issues such as
depression and environmental destruction may have their origins in our
evolutionary past. Introduced by Timothy Clack, author
of Ancestral Roots: Modern Living and Human Evolution. |
|
Date: |
17 June 2009, 18:30
- 20:30 |
|
Title: |
Deciphering the Cosmic Number |
|
Speaker: |
Arthur I Miller |
|
Description: |
In 1932 physicist Wolfgang Pauli and
psychoanalyst Carl Jung sparked a strange friendship around their obsession
with the number 137 - a primal number that seemed to hint at the origins of
the universe. Join Arthur I Miller as he shares his thoughts on this unique
meeting of minds. |
|
|
