Science in Everyday Life - Animals, Beer, and Decaf Coffee

Understanding farm animal behaviour can help us find out when animals are sick or stressed, but in intensive systems these signs can be hard to spot. Wearable sensors allow us to measure animal behaviour automatically and through these measurements we have discovered that farm animals vary from one another in their movement and activity. My research focuses on measuring different personality types in young dairy calves and finding out how active or exploratory individuals change behaviour in different housing conditions.

Supercritical carbon dioxide is a highly useful and incredibly unique substance that almost no one has ever heard of. Its ability to enter materials and swell them makes it possible to carry out chemistry at much lower temperatures than usual, saving lots of energy, and the simplicity of converting supercritical carbon dioxide back to a gas makes it easy to dry your products. In this talk I will explain why carbon dioxide becomes amazing in its supercritical state, and how it can be used to make decaf coffee, recycle plastics and much more!

In this talk, we’ll explore the science behind the perfect pint of beer and its unique texture, alongside British classics like mashed potatoes and fish and chips. We’ll dive into how chemistry plays a role in creating the ideal crispy batter and fluffy mash. Plus, taking advantage of my Mexican roots, we'll also touch on the science behind tequila and its fascinating flavours. Join us for a fun journey into the chemistry of comfort food, from Britain to Mexico!