Top 3: Manchester Science Festival 2014 ft. 3D printing, fracking and television

October sees the return of Manchester Science Festival, an 11-day event that aims to promote the public’s engagement with the sciences. This city-wide celebration has a wide array of events taking place at many different venues. The complete list of events is available on the festival’s official website, but our top three picks are listed below…

3D: Printing the Future
This exhibition at MOSI looks at the emerging science of 3D printing. Featuring a huge collection of printed objects, including art pieces and replacement body parts, the show will reveal how this new technology has inspired ground-breaking design. Featured is The Wedgwoodn’t Tureen (pictured), a piece by Manchester-based artist Michael Eden, which was created using a 3D printer together with traditional ceramic craft skills. The exhibition also looks to the future, where new kinds of medicine and engineering may exist thanks to this new science. The more controversial side of the technology is also explored, including is a radar scanner that can detect 3D-printed guns and other weapons.
Thu 23 Oct – Sun 2 Nov, Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, M3 4FP, FREE entry, www.manchestersciencefestival.com

The Future is Fracking. Discuss.
Fracking for shale gas has become a hot-button issue in a very short space of time. Some claim it will help meet our energy demands, but others have concerns about its effects on the environment – and the opening of a drilling site in Barton Moss has brought the debate right to our doorstep. This discussion will give members of the public the chance to give their opinions on this emotive subject. This event, taking place at MOSI, is hosted by Discuss, a new debating salon based in Manchester. On the panel will be Bez, former Happy Mondays member and aspiring politician. The event is free but booking is required.
Tue 28 Oct, Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, M3 4FP, 6.30pm, FREE entry – booking required, www.manchestersciencefestival.com

Marvels of Television
Taking place at Salford University’s MediaCity campus, this exhibition looks at the past and future of television. Visitors can discover how the science has changed from the early days of black and white to the modern era of high-def TV streamed over the internet. Visitors can tour state-of-the-art digital studios, where they will be able to watch 4K television and discover exactly how TV pictures are delivered to us. This event is part of Salford SciFest, a weekend on hands-on science activities organised by staff and students from Salford Uni.
Sar 25 – Sun 26 Oct, University of Salford, MediaCityUK, Plot B4, Salford Quays, M50 2HE, 10am – 4pm (drop in), FREE entry, www.manchestersciencefestival.com