Ri Lates: Life and death

How did life first begin, and could it be found elsewhere in the Universe? What makes something alive and how does this change as we age? Explore these questions about life and death at our hands-on event throughout our building. Enjoy workshops, talks, food and drink at this sociable night for adults only. Talks Astrobiology - the hunt for alien life What is 'life' and how did it emerge on our own world? What are the most extreme conditions terrestrial life can tolerate? And where in the cosmos might we reasonably expect to find ET? Join Lewis Dartnell on a tour of the other planets and moons in our solar system which may harbour life, and to alien worlds we've discovered orbiting distant stars, to explore one of the greatest questions ever asked: are we alone...? Ugly extinction Why should the panda get all the praise? The Ugly Animal Preservation Society is dedicated to raising the profile of the world’s most aesthetically challenged endangered species. Join Simon Watt from the Ugly Animal Preservation Society to discuss the biology of some of the planets least pretty creatures. Activities The smell of death Have you ever thought to create semi-palatable perfumes representing different stages of death and decomposition? Probably not. But if you dare, join forensic anthropologist Anna Williams and smell the conconctions, learning about decompostion along the way. Bring a dead laptop back to life with The Restart Project Laptops can get dead slow over time, and are routinely killed by software updates. Learn how you can bring them back to life using a solid-state drive running a free and open source operating system using demo equipment for you to try and test. The Restart Project is a social enterprise that empowers people to use their electronics longer in order to reduce waste. Toxic cocktails Do you know what poisons are present in your everyday life, and in the food and drink we consume? Join a team from ArtNecro who will create cocktails from their poison menu, explaining the toxicity of everyday items. Death jars Visit Carla Valentine from Barts Pathology museum and see her selection of specimens, and pickled parts. Explore the art and science of pathology, learning why the study of death is so important. Turing test Can you tell a robot from a human? Have a go at chatting in our Turing test booth to find out how intelligent the artificial can be. Participating organisations Anatomical Society, ArtNecro, Barts Pathology Museum, Queen Mary University of London, The Restart Project, The Royal London, Royal Veterinary College, Science London, The Ugly Animal Preservation Society, University College London, University of Huddersfield

Suitable for
18+

Admission
£12 Standard

Website
http://rigb.org/whats-on/events-2015/july/lates-life-and-death

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/am23223?id=EVENT530366