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We’ll zoom in to the microscopic scale to see viruses, bacteria and a plentiful load of other cells and discover the beauty, mysteries and huge impact of these small things. Did you know that microbes have complicated social lives? Siobhan is a microbe paparazzi and she'll share their secrets with us. Jen is looking at all things small – discover her essential job and find out how microscopes help hundreds of scientists in their research. We’ll conclude the night with a breath-taking question: which is scarier - Hollywood outbreak movies or science's assessment of our real-life outbreak risks?
Social strife in microbial communities
Dr Siobhan O'Brien
(Tenure Track Fellow, University of Liverpool)
Microbes are far from being solitary cells. They exist in highly complex communities with lots of other species with whom they cooperate, selfishly and even spitefully. Cheating in these societies is rife, but microbes have exceptional ways of punishing, policing and minimising the negative effects of cheats on population growth. I will discuss the social lives of microbes in these complex communities (such as the gut microbiome) and the possibility of meddling in their social lives to help cure diseases.
A picture’s worth a thousand words, right?
Jennifer Adcott
(Imaging Technician, University of Liverpool)
Microscopy has been used for hundreds of years to study the human body and the natural world around us. Technical advances have pushed the limits letting us see more and smaller worlds than ever before.
Not all scientists are microscopy experts but specialist imaging technician Jen helps scientists know which technology to use, how they can prove that their results are valid, and how to get the best pictures for their research.
With expertise and a massive enthusiasm for microscopes Jen will help to answer the question: If a picture’s worth a thousand words, what about a thousand images?
Not all scientists are microscopy experts but specialist imaging technician Jen helps scientists know which technology to use, how they can prove that their results are valid, and how to get the best pictures for their research.
With expertise and a massive enthusiasm for microscopes Jen will help to answer the question: If a picture’s worth a thousand words, what about a thousand images?
Outbreak! Ebola, MERS and Monkey Pox - What Hollywood didn't tell you
Professor Calum Semple
(Professor of Child Health and Outbreak Medicine, University of Liverpool)
Virus Outbreaks makes for good and scary Hollywood movies. Calum will take you on cinematographic road trip contrasting the films and the reality. He will ask why we still worry about the flu and what's been done to mitigate this risk to society? And you will get a chance to see the medal that the Queen gave to him and his team for doing their bit in West Africa from 2013 to 2016 during the biggest Ebola Outbreak in history.
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