Prism - get your goggles on!
What happens when you look through a prism? You see the same stuff as before, but from a different angle -- maybe you suddenly understand something from another's viewpoint, or see the complexity hiding beneath the simple veneer.
Science Gallery's newest club "Prism" is a place for members to get together to rant, show off and learn about exciting topics in science, as brought to you through popular science books.
And if ever you thought you see things differently from your neighbours, then our first book is perfect for you "The Frog Who Croaked Blue" by Jamie Ward describes the fascinating phenomenon of synaesthesia (mixing of the senses) from a scientific and a human point of view.
Put it in your letter to Santa We'll be discussing it in the launch event for Prism on 28th January 2009 in the Science Gallery. More details to follow on the SG website.
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Pop science book reviews
And look here to whet your appetite ...
http://popscience.wordpress.com/
http://popscience.wordpress.com/
Hmmm looks intruiging! Will the Science Gallery be making any efforts to acquire copies of this?? Perhaps at that recession-friendly price?? :D
Available in Science Gallery shop ...
The Frog Who Croaked Blue is available in the Science Gallery shop ... you'll have to ask them the price though.
10% off for members
Just saw that there is 10% off the price of the book (and the event ticket) for Science Gallery members.
... Just another reason to join ... and membership is free (for now!)
Brainy guy
We have confirmed Dr Kevin Mitchell of TCD Genetics to come along and talk about synaesthesia at Prism on the 28th of January. Kevin leads a research group in neurogenetics, and one of the lab projects is to investigate the genetics of synaesthesia.
As early as page 8 in his book, Jamie Ward refers to geneticists in Trinity College Dublin (and a couple of other places) who are searching for the genetic components of this wonder of nature. This work is being conducted by a group of labs including Kevin's: http://www.tcd.ie/Psychology/synres/
Hope you can join us for a lively and stimulating (hopefully in peculiar ways) discussion.
No preconceptions
So here's the thing. I've never actually been to a book club before, and here I am somehow supposed to be running one. How did that happen?
My advice is: don't expect this to look like any other book club because we don't know what that is. In fact, I'm reluctant to even call it a book club in case that conjures up an image of little old ladies sitting around a pot of tea. (Sorry if that was what you were going for ... but we'll be able to get you a cuppa -- it's set in the cafe after all!).
My idea is that we get together to have a fun and interesting conversation centred on a topic we learned about in the book and also from listening (to Kevin Mitchell in this case) on the night itself. I'm not going to talk too much, because if I don't shut up then nobody else will get the chance to speak!
Don't worry, nobody will be kicked out or made to stand in the corner for not doing their homework. So even if you haven't read the book, come along and learn from the discussion and pretty soon you'll be ready to join in.
Snacks included ...
Tickets for Prism are on sale now on the Science Gallery website: http://www.sciencegallery.com/events
This includes assorted nibbles (bread sticks, olives etc.) and tea, coffee and biscuits. You can also buy other drinks and food from the cafe as normal.
Don't forget, it's 10% off for Science Gallery members.
Appetiser
Here is a 10 minute radio documentary by Ed Prendergast on synaesthesia and featuring Kevin Mitchell.
http://www.archive.org/details/ColouredSound-Synesthesia
Book Club. Hmmm, it perhaps
Book Club. Hmmm, it perhaps conjures images of frantic knitting and discussions of Maeve Binchy. However, journey with me for a moment:
It is the early 1600's. Paris is being built and polished under the patronage of a new monarch, Henry IV. Threats to security abound as Catholic fanatics are disdainful of a convert on the throne. The Marquise de Rambouillet, Catherine de Vivonne is guiding the preparation of canapés in expectation of her guests that evening in the Hotel de Rambouillet. They will gather, adhering to an etiquette derived with comity as its intention. Perhaps they will discuss the unveiling of Le Pont Neuf, the Edict of Nantes or the Sonnet Wars. On whichever trail their musings meander, they will as an ode to Horace speak only "to please and educate".
It need not be a book club, but in the style of Madame de Vivonne, a salon, possibly a "Salon des Sciences". Past innovators have gathered to discuss, debate and most importantly to dine. The Bloomsbury Group, The Algonquin Round Table and The Kit-Kat Club are but a few. Their concerns were primarily the discussion of letters and politics. I am not aware of any "Salon" whose focus was the sciences. Perhaps PRISM may serve to fulfill this deficit.
I look forward!
Making music to Rothko's murals
This isn't exactly synaesthesia, but it is imaginings in that direction ...
Composer Jim Aitchison has imagined what Rothko's murals would sound like. Interestingly, he used shapes from the murals to "plot" notes onto the musical score.
I learned about this on the BBC news website here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7847356.stm
Comments please
Our inaugural Prism bookclub meeting went really well. We had a great group filling the Science Gallery cafe and following an introduction to synaesthesia we had an open discussion. Some synaesthetes discussed their personal experiences, and I think a few people realised for the first time that they might be synaesthetic. Thank you to everyone who took part and made it an enjoyable evening (at least for me).
We'd really like to hear your comments about what you liked and what you think could be done better. You can post any comments to this blog or by email to the science gallery.
We hope to see you at our next meeting on the 18th of February where we will discuss Graham Farmelo's biography of the physicist Paul Dirac The Strangest Man http://www.faber.co.uk/work/strangest-man/9780571222780/
More details to follow.
Next Prism: 18th February
We are really pleased that author and professor of physics Graham Farmelo will attend the bookclub. He will introduce us to his recent biography of Paul Dirac.
More details here: http://www.sciencegallery.com/node/692
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