Published on the 29th October 2014 by ANSTO Staff
The people of Wollongong will hear from some of Australia’s top scientists from ANSTO and the University of Wollongong bring the Fact of Fiction show to town.
ANSTO, one of Australia’s largest public research organisations, will be separating the facts from the fiction, and sharing with a local audience some of the amazing things now possible through modern science, as well as some incredible insights into what is almost possible.
The Fact or Fiction shows will be at University of Wollongong’s University Hall on Thursday 6 November 2014 suitable for ages 8 and up, the event is open to the general public.
ANSTO started the enormously popular national Fact or Fiction shows after some independent surveys in 2011 revealed significant gaps in Australia’s general knowledge about science.
According to those surveys, three-quarters of Australians believe scientists have already confirmed life on other planets, and half believe “Back to the Future” style hoverboards have already been invented.
The survey asked respondents if science fiction theories such as time travel and invisibility cloaks were true or false, and which inventions they would most like to see in the future.
The results were often surprising, and confirmed that the lines between people’s perceptions of science fiction and science fact are indeed blurred.
“I think it’s fair to say some Australians watch a little too much Dr Who and too little Dr Karl,” said Rod Dowler, Manager of ANSTO’s Discovery Centre.
He’d know because he works with some of the brightest minds in Australia. Around one third of the 1000 employees at ANSTO have PHDs.
“ANSTO’s Fact or Fiction shows are highly entertaining and educational, and use pop-culture to interest people in science,” said Mr Dowler.
“Science areas that are explored include everything from Teleporting to Time Travel, Invisibility, Immortality, Light Sabres, Intelligent Metals, Terraforming Climates and Telekinesis.”
“How can you clear the cosmic haze and determine what’s fact or fiction? By attending this week – we’ll have a big screen experience where the world of popular sci-fi film collides with cutting edge science.”
Prominent University of Wollongong scientists Dr Anthony Dosseto and Melinda Waterman will also act as presenters on the night.
Dr Dosetto is a geochronologist, who recently made world-wide headlines after he helped date what has turned out to be some of the oldest rock art paintings in the world. Ms Waterman is finishing up her PhD thesis on the natural sunscreens in Antarctic moss.