Café Scientifique events provide relaxed settings in which we can talk about the latest thought-provoking science issues. These take place in cafés, bars and restaurants and other non-academic venues. What's more, you don't have to be a scientist or science student to take part. Café Scientifique is about the science of life and how it shapes our world. Because of this, everyone is welcome.
15 February, Plovdiv
Presenters: Milena Agopyan and Stefan Nikolov
Milena Agopyan is an engineer-meteorologist at the Plovdiv Regional Centre of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. She is heading the Clouds and Rain Microphysics Laboratory. Milena is a finalist of the British Council science communication contest FameLab 2007.
Stefan Nikolov is a junior expert-physicist at Paisiy Hilendarski University in Plovdiv. He is finalist of the British Council science communication contest FameLab 2008.
Talk Summary
Why ice is lighter that water. Why is water liquid? How can one walk on water? Let an engineer-meteorologist and a physicist tell you more about the liquid we can’t live without
When: 15 February, Monday, 1800
Where: Petnoto na Rorshah Club, Plovdiv
How: Free entrance. However, it’s recommendable to book a place at + 359 89 944 88 96.
22 February, Plovdiv
Presenter: Nikolay Vitanov
Nikolay Vitanov is a senior science associate at the Mechanics Institute of the Bulgarian Science Academy (BSA). He has a PhD in Physics from the St. Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia, a PhD in natural sciences from the Bayreuth University in Germany and a PhD in mathematics from the Mechanics Institute of BSA.
Talk Summary
You’ve hardly thought of anything in common between physics, mathematics and the public processes or the national security. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet an extraordinary scientist who can show you our society through different eyes.
When: 22 February, Monday, 1800
Where: Petnoto na Rorshah Club, Plovdiv
How: Free entrance. However, it’s recommendable to book a place at + 359 89 944 88 96.
27 February, 1100, Vitosha Mountain
or let’s talk about science over a cup of coffee or tea with the participation of young scientists, finalists of the British Council science communication competition FameLab.
We have talked about science in cafes, theatres, saloons. This time British Council and Democrit Forum invite you to the first Café Scientifique in the mountain - because there are no reasons tpo prevent us speaking about science anywhere, including outdoors.
For details on the subject and the exact location, come back to this site after 8 February.
To book a place please mail us at booking@britishcouncil.bg, SUBJECT Vitosha Café Scientifique
When: 27 February, 1100
Where: Vitosha mountain, the place will be specified depending on the weather conditions
25 January 2010, Plovdiv
Presenter: Stilian Georgiev, neurobiologist at the Institute for Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Talk Summary
Have you asked yourself why we sometimes look and don’t see anything? And why in some cases we have the feeling that someone with their back to us is looking at us with amazing persistence? As a true scientist-detective Ivan Hristov will introduce us to the mystery of the long way that visual information has to go through the various departments of our brain before he can tell us about the incredible findings about that part of our gray matter which perhaps is more important, or at least as important as our eyes in the process of "seeing".
Come along for coffee and let Stilian Georgiev, neurobiologist at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and FameLab 2008 contestant, to open your eyes to the work of scientists in the field of visual information processing! You will hear things that you would not like to see!
When: 25 January, Monday, 1800
Where: Petnoto na Rorshah Club, Plovdiv
How: Free entrance. However, it’s recommendable to book a place at + 359 89 944 88 96
18 January 2010, Plovdiv
Presenter: Dr. Zornitsa Kamenarska, pharmacist at the Centrе for Molecular Medicine at the Medical University in Sofia. Zornitsa Kamenarska graduated Pharmacy and completed a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. She specialized in Israel, Italy and Japan. In 2007 she won the Audience Award, Second Prize and the Prize of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria at the British Council science communication competition Famelab.
Talk Summary
Only injuries caused by accidents are not genetic in nature. In all other diseases, more or less, is seen a genetic component. Dr. Zornitsa Kamenarska from the Molecular Medicine Centre will tell us all about what the role is of modern genetic testing in diagnosis, monitoring and effective disease treatment, on which diseases the geneticists in Bulgaria work as a priority and what the patients’ benefits are.
When: 18 January, Monday, 1800
Where: Petnoto na Rorshah Club, Plovdiv
How: Free entrance. However, it’s recommendable to book a place at + 359 89 944 88 96
The Time Machine Really Exists
 400 Years Since Galileo Invented the Telescope and... the end of the world in 2012
The Fascination of Mobile Communications (in English)
Can We really See with the Back of our Neck?
please write to booking@britishcouncil.bg and enter your preferred event in the Subject line.
See more details
The Evolution of Influenza Viruses: Seasonal Flu and Vaccines
10 February 2009
It’s Darwin’s 200 birthday! Please come and join us for an evening of informal science and chat. Dr Colin Russell will give a short presentation on the evolution of influenza viruses: seasonal flu and vaccines. The talk will be followed by an informal discussion facilitated by Dr Christopher Smith from the Naked Scientists. The audience in Cambridge will be joined by one from Bulgaria via a via a video conference link.
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Dr. Colin Russell is head of epidemiology at the Centre for Pathogen Evolution, University of Cambridge and a fellow of Clare College. His research focuses on how epidemiology shapes the evolution of viruses and he is actively involved in influenza vaccine strain selection and pandemic preparedness at the World Health Organization. His work on influenza viruses has been featured in New Scientist, National Geographic, the New York Times, and was recently ranked #14 in Discover Magazine’s “Top 100 Science Stories of 2008”. |
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Dr. Chris Smith is a doctor and a clinical lecturer in virology at Cambridge University. Deciding that medicine wasn't soaking up enough of his free time, he started the Naked Scientists radio show, podcast and website. Chris also makes weekly appearances on ABC Radio National, Australia, and on BBC Radio Five Live; he also fronts the Royal Society of Chemistry's Chemistry World podcast, and presents the Nature Podcast for the journal Nature. Now and then he also pops up on telly, usually when the feathers hit the fan during a bird flu outbreak. |
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Talk summary
On average, influenza viruses infect ~600 million people worldwide resulting in ~500,000 deaths each year. Influenza viruses are able to infect so many people year after year because of their seemingly endless capacity to “change their coats” to evade immunity built up through previous infections and vaccinations to infect us repeatedly during the course of our lifetimes. Influenza viruses evolve rapidly and although the influenza vaccine is normally very effective the viruses used to make the vaccine must be updated almost every year to keep pace with virus evolution. To understand and eventually predict the evolution of influenza viruses and to make better influenza vaccines we must understand where new viruses are most likely to arise and the factors that drive and limit virus evolution.
- When: 10 February, at 2000
- Where: British Council videoconference suite
Access to all events is free but it is important to book a place due to seating constraints. To attend, please write to booking@britishcouncil.bg
Climate Change and Food Security
23 February 2009
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Dr. Polly Ericksen is based at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford. She has 15 years of experience studying agricultural development, environmental management, climate change, and food security in the Africa, Latin America and South Asia. She holds an MSc in Economics and a PhD in Soil Science. |
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Talk summary
There is growing concern about the consequences of climate and other environmental change for food systems. For example, changes in climate patterns leading to increased drought in semi-arid areas may decrease livestock or crop production, affecting food supply and agricultural livelihoods. Food security depends on more than just agricultural production or the availability of a regular supply of food, however. Economic and social factors are also important, along with national and international policy. In many places food security is already a matter of concern, as it is regularly compromised by crop failure, illness, poor nutrition, poverty, conflicts and extreme weather events.
We will discuss the causes and determinants of food security in both rich and poor countries. We will discuss how the added risk of climate change will create new stresses and perhaps opportunities. We will discuss possible policy options for both improving food security and adapting to a changing climate.
- When: 23 February
- Where: British Council videoconference suite
Places are limited - to book a place please send an email to booking@britishcouncil.bg
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