World Science Festival

Pioneers in Science 2019

The World Science Festival’s Pioneers in Science program gives high school students from around the globe rare and intimate access to renowned scientists in a town hall-style discussion. Meet Suzana Herculano-Houzel, a professor in the Departments of Psychology and Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. Her pioneering technique made it possible to accurately count the number of neurons in brains of all sizes. After studying over 80 species, she discovered that humans have far more neurons than other animals relative to brain size. Hear about how this breakthrough discovery fundamentally altered our understanding of interspecies neurology.

Final LF Promo

100 years ago today, a bending ray of light confirmed Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity. At 10pm tonight, join us in celebrating this milestone of human knowledge by tuning into PBS, and catch a critically-acclaimed performance of Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein. #WSF19

WATCH: One Week Until Light Falls on PBS

Tonight, we officially kick off #WorldScienceFest2019 with a special performance of Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity. In just one week, you too can experience Light Falls (from the comfort of your own living room) by tuning into your local PBS station at 10pm!

Light Falls: Solar Eclipses

Have you ever seen a solar eclipse and wondered, “Why is the moon just the right size to cover the sun?” The answer is quite remarkable.

Neutrinos, Matter, and Antimatter: The Yin Yang of the Big Bang

How come we’re all made of matter? It might seem like an obvious question, but physics doesn’t have an answer about why matter won out over its opposite, antimatter. The answer might lie in tiny, mysterious particles called neutrinos. Find out how in our latest video “The Yin Yang of the Big Bang: Neutrinos, Matter, and Antimatter.” Watch the premiere at 3/29 at 10PM EST: https://youtu.be/NatV7LonIwk

Harnessing the Power of Neuroplasticity: The Nuts and Bolts of Better Brains

What if your brain at 77 were as plastic as it was at 7? What if you could learn Mandarin with the ease of a toddler or play Rachmaninoff without breaking a sweat? A growing understanding of neuroplasticity suggests these fantasies could one day become reality. Neuroplasticity may also be the key to solving diseases like Alzheimer’s, depression, and autism. Tune in to our latest program, "The Nuts and Bolts of Better Brains" at 10PM EST tonight, as leading neuroscientists discuss their most recent findings and both the tantalizing possibilities and pitfalls for our future cognitive selves. https://youtu.be/59ODYOaUbX4

World Science Festival Brisbane 2019

World Science Festival Brisbane starts March 20! Mark your calendars for five days of events designed to feed curious minds and challenge our world views. #WSFB2019 #qldmuseum #BraveNewIdeas Learn more here: https://www.worldsciencefestival.com.au/

Resistance Is (Not) Futile

For most of human history, even minor injuries were potentially fatal—until antibiotics came along to keep pathogens away. But the bacteria are evolving faster than our weapons against them, making a post-antibiotic future even scarier than the pre-antibiotic past. Check out our latest video “Resistance Is (Not) Futile” to see how researchers are making sure this future never becomes reality. Watch Now: https://youtu.be/Sqp1cP35og8

Teach Your Robots Well

What happens when a machine can teach itself? And do we really want to find out? Watch scientists and philosophers dive into these questions In our latest video “Teach Your Robots Well.” And tell us what you think below! Watch the premiere at 10PM EST tonight: https://youtu.be/IHc5Zt7qT6o

Black Holes and Neutron Stars: A Merger in Space

Black holes and neutron stars are interesting enough on their own. But what happens when two of them collide? Check out our newest video “A Merger in Space” for a look at how these cosmic collisions are changing our view of the universe. Catch the premiere tonight at 8PM EST: https://youtu.be/raRe8GzZlUs

Is Alien ‘Life’ Weirder Than We Imagine: Who Is Out There?

If there’s life off Earth, what will it look like? Would we even recognize it? Tune in at 9PM EST tonight to watch our latest program “Who Is Out There” for a mind-expanding conversation about the possibilities for extraterrestrials, from superintelligent machines to knowledge embedded in matter itself. Then tell us: What do you think is out there? Tune in tonight at 9PM for the premiere: https://youtu.be/kT9GqvgipOQ

THE ROOTS OF EXTREMISM: THE FUNDAMENTALIST IN YOUR BRAIN

What happens when dislike turns into hate? What drives someone to commit violence in the name of their beliefs? And why do our brains have this capacity at all? See our latest program “The Roots of Extremism: The Fundamentalist in Your Brain” for an important discussion on the science behind the extremist mind, and what it can teach us about how to bring people back from the brink. Tune in at 12PM EST today to watch and chat live: https://youtu.be/gLNrNWBsDnc

Pioneers In Science: Jo Handelsman

Meet Jo Handelsman, Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and Associate Director for Science, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she launched the National Microbiome Initiative. Want to hear more from Jo Handelsman? Check out our newest program “The Microbiome: Vital Cells of Existence” to learn about the vital ecosystem of tiny beings inside each of us, known as the human #microbiome. https://youtu.be/eIPbtxDwXgI

The Microbiome: Vital Cells of Existence

You aren’t just “you” — you’re also a home to trillions of bacterial cells that live on, in, and with your body. Gross? Maybe. Cool? Definitely. A critical new source of vital health information? Check out our newest program “The Microbiome: Vital Cells of Existence” to find out. Watch Now: https://youtu.be/eIPbtxDwXgI

Pioneers in Science: Aprille J. Ericsson

Meet NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration aerospace engineer, Aprille J. Ericsson, a pioneer in the development of crucial instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope, ICESat, and other missions that monitor the earth and help discover new planets and search for our origins. Watch Now: https://youtu.be/6ZKapTOit7M

Engineering Immortality: the End of Aging?

Humans were never meant to live forever, but the impossible never stopped a scientist. Check out our latest video “Engineering Immortality?” to find out how the lifespan’s limits are being tested today—and what it means for society if they’re removed entirely. Watch the full video now: https://youtu.be/QqPXGXuWyNE

Leading Researchers Discuss the Impact of the First CRISPR-Edited Babies

The announcement of the first CRISPR-edited babies has been controversial, to say the least. Leading researchers discussed the impact of just this scenario at the 2016 World Science Festival. What do you think? For more of the conversation, check out the full program here: https://bit.ly/2Pixpni

We're at #CityofScience Queens all day with Conedison! Follow our #Instagram stories (@worldscifest) to enjoy all the hands-on science if you can't join us in person.

City of Science 2018: Queens

Join thousands of New Yorkers at CITY OF SCIENCE in Queens tomorrow! This FREE, all ages event features mind-blowing experiments and demonstrations for the whole family! #cityofsci #ConEdSTEM https://bit.ly/2BErEwN

Marie Curie

Marie Curie's fascinating life began 151 years ago today.

Happy Halloween!

#HappyHalloween from the World Science Festival! Our treat to you is this trick for calculating pi.

Pondering the Imponderables

Cosmologists today are asking the same questions long left to philosophers and theologians: How did the world begin? Why does anything exist? What does our universe’s future hold? Watch our newest program “Pondering the Imponderables” to explore these big questions and more: bit.ly/pondering-cosmology

We're having a blast at #cityofscience in #StatenIsland. Follow our stories on Instagram @worldscifest to join the fun! @ConEdison #cityofsci

City of Science returns to Staten Island this Sunday!

Join thousands of New Yorkers at CITY OF SCIENCE in Staten Island this Sunday, September 23! This FREE, all ages event features mind-blowing experiments and demonstrations for the whole family! #cityofsci #ConEdSTEM https://bit.ly/2D7MmHN

Kavli Prize for Neuroscience 2018

What's your favorite sound? Ever wondered the precise mechanisms and genes that allow us to hear a baby laughing, a cat purring, or Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody? You might be a bit more curious after the Yanni Laurel viral challenge to learn that the 2018 Kavli winners for neuroscience are Christine Petit, James Hudspeth, and Robert Fettiplace for their discoveries of how we process auditory information. Turns out the hairs in our ears actively twitch to create an amplification system for sound in our ear canals and there are over two dozen genes responsible for making sure these systems function properly. At the Kavli Prize unveiling two weeks ago in New York, we learned that these hairs age over time which is why adults have trouble hearing certain frequencies. A few brilliant teenagers have taken advantage of this fact to invent a ringtone that parents over the age of 40 cannot hear. . . . Footage and images courtesy of Institut Pasteur de Lille, The Rockefeller University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison Collège de France Harvard Medical School The Kavli Prize . . . . #STEM #Education #WomenInSTEM #science #medicalscience #hearingloss #hearing #auditory #processing #neuroscience #tbt #throwbackthursday #teamyanni #teamlaurel #toomanyhashtags #didanyonereadthisfar #comment #below #ifyoudid

Kavli Prize 2018 - Astrophysics

The winner of the 2018 Kavli Prize In Astrophysics is Ewine van Dishoeck for her pioneering contributions to the field of astrochemistry. She has helped us discover that the regions where stars and planets form in space are often rich in molecules, and this may help us unearth which molecules are the essential building blocks to life on our planet and other exoplanets that host lifeforms. . . . . Footage and images courtesy of Alama Observatory / ESO and Hucopix - Elodie Burrillon . . . . The Kavli Prize National Academy of Sciences The International Astronomical Union Leiden, Netherlands Harvard University Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences ESO Supernova . . . . #Astrophysics #chemistry #astrochemistry #womeninSTEM #tbt #fbf #science #education #stemeducation #STEM #space #universe #spacedust #brilliant #breakthroughs

Kavli Prize for Nanoscience 2018

The winners of the 2018 Kavli Prize In Nanoscience Are Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Virginijus Siksnys for pioneering work on Crispr-cas9, a bacterial immune mechanism, that could be transferred from one bacterium to another, and allows for incredible break throughs in gene editing for crops, animals, mosquitoes, and even humans. . . . . Footage and images supplied by Novo Nordisk Foundation, Plos Media, University of California Berkeley, and UMEA Universitet . . . Columbia University in the City of New York Howard Hughes Medical Institute Max Planck Institute for Human Development Faculté de médecine Pierre et Marie Curie Institut Pasteur Rockefeller Center Umeå University Max Planck Society Vilniaus universitetas / Vilnius University Lithuanian Academy of Sciences The Kavli Prize Lomonosov Moscow State University . . . #CRISPR #Lithuania #STEM #WomenInSTEM #nanoscience #nanotechnology #technology #scientific #breakthrough #education #tbt #KavliPrize #Kavli

We’re live #bts with Jenn Halweil on stage at Flame Challenge. Will you be joining us at NYU Skirball do discuss the difference between #climate and #weather with Alan Alda, #meterologist Bernadette Placky, and a group of precocious 11 year olds? . . https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/flame-challenge-climate/ . . . #science #education #womeninstem #stem #actor #climatechange #Interactive #liveperformance

Reptile Matt and Jenn Halweil go live #BTS at our Cool Jobs program happening later today 3PM at NYU Skirball. Will you be joining us to meet Lil' Croc Nero and some of his suprise guests? . . https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/cool-jobs-2018/ . . . #Science #Education #Herpetologist #KidScience #SciEd #Diversity #Biology #Reptiles #STEM #STEAM #KidFriendly #Turtles #Robots

We’re live #bts on Day 4 of World Science Festival with Alyson Tockstein who facilitates education and outreach, and Director of Digital Media Jenn Halweil. . . Science Fair film: Tomorrow Museum of the Moving Image 10:30AM https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/science-fair-changing-world-one-foam-core-board-time/ . . ReThinking the Internet Tomorrow Gerald W Lynch Theater 4PM https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/great-tech-lash-can-big-tech-grow-take-responsibility/ . . Flame Challenge with Alan Alda Sunday NYU Skirball 1:30PM https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/programs/flame-challenge-climate/ . . . #WomenInSTEM #Science #Education #SciEd #ScientistsWhoSelfie #DIY #climatechange #climate #earthscience #marinescience #HighSchool #Tech #Internet #Privacy The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk #GreenTech

Live #BTS with World Science Festival co-founder Briane Greene, and Director of Digital Media Jenn Halweil. Links to the incredible programs we mentioned: Planting the Seeds at New York University http://bit.ly/crisprseeds Searching film with Heather Berlin at Museum of the Moving Image http://bit.ly/searchingscreening

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 19: Neuroscience

The Kavli Prize for neuroscience is awarded every two years for outstanding achievements in advancing our understanding of the brain, the most complex structure in the known universe. 🧠 Which scientist will be recognized with this prestigious award? Share this video with someone who gets you and understands your brain. This year's Kavli Prize Announcement will be livestreamed from New York and Oslo tomorrow, May 31 at 8:30am EST. Watch live at: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Don't forget to check out our "Planting the Seeds, Seeding the Plants: Can CRISPR Save the World?" program on May 31, sponsored by The Kavli Foundation. 🔬🌱 http://bit.ly/crisprseeds

Brilliant Breakthroughs: Ep. 18 Astrophysics

Every two years, The Kavli Prize in astrophysics is awarded to pioneers of the final frontier for advancing our understanding of the origin, evolution and properties of the universe. These remarkable prize recipients have observed the distant reaches of the universe and have helped us better understand our place in it. Which Brilliant Breakthrough do you think will be next? And who will be the recipient of this year's Kavli Prize? Tune in to the 2018 Kavli Prize Announcement livestream on Thursday, May 31 at 8:30am EST: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Don't forget to join us on May 31 for the "Planting the Seeds, Seeding the Plants: Can CRISPR Save the World?" program, sponsored by The Kavli Foundation. 🔬🌱 Tickets: http://bit.ly/crisprseeds

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 17: Fred Kavli

As a child in Norway, Fred Kavli would stand in the stillness of the mountains marvelling at the northern lights above, pondering the universe, the planet, nature, everything. Several decades later, as an adult, Fred was still pondering. He became a successful businessman and established The Kavli Foundation to advance science for the benefit of humanity. In 2008 he created The Kavli Prize to honor outstanding achievements in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience - fields he believed provided the greatest opportunity for brilliant scientific breakthroughs which would have long-range benefits for all of human-kind. This year's Kavli Prize Announcement will be livestreamed from New York and Oslo on Thursday, May 31 at 8:30am EST. Watch live at: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Don't forget to check out our "Planting the Seeds, Seeding the Plants: Can CRISPR Save the World?" program on May 31, sponsored by the Kavli Foundation. 🔬🌱 http://bit.ly/crisprseeds

Brilliant Breakthroughs: Which One Is Next?

The Kavli Prize in nanotechnology celebrates groundbreaking advances in the field. The winners of this prestigious prize have made gigantic strides on the smallest scale and devised ingenious ways to observe, create and manipulate microscopic matter. Which Brilliant Breakthrough do you think will be next? And who will be the recipient of this year's Kavli Prize? Don't miss the 2018 Kavli Prize Announcement livestream on Thursday, May 31 at 8:30am EST: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. The Kavli Foundation #nanotechnology #awards #worldsciencefestival

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 15: Atomic Detail

Ever been 'less than inspired' in class? Some people learn by listening, and some learn by doing. Luckily, nanoscientist Gerd Binnig discovered the thrill of conducting his own experiments and helped bring about a new era for humankind. In 1981 he invented the scanning tunneling microscope which allowed us to see atoms for the first time. One day, after years of research, Gerd was reclining on a sofa when a new inspiration struck: "as I was not capable of solving the problem consciously, my subconcious mind did." Binnig called his new design the atomic force microscope which revealed even more atomic detail and allowed us to see objects smaller than one nanometer - less than 1/50,000 the diameter of a human hair! Inspire your friends and colleagues and share Gerd Binnig's story today. 🔬 This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us as we "Countdown to Kavli" by featuring the achievements of the Kavli Award winners from the last decade (2008-2018) until The Kavli Prize for 2018 is announced via livestream on May 31st. Learn more about the announcement livestream here: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive Which scientists do you think should win on May 31st? The Kavli Foundation #nanoscience #awards #worldsciencefestival

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 13: Gravitational Waves

Epiphanies often happen when we least expect them. Einstein had predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 but in the 1960s, an off-hand comment in a class inspired physicist Rainer Weiss to hypothesize a way to actually measure gravitational waves. He originally hadn't given the comment much thought until about a year later when he had an epiphany and "worked the whole summer on the idea." He would continue his mission to detect these waves until 2015, nearly 100 years after Einstein's prediction, when Weiss and a team of scientists made a groundbreaking discovery: they recorded a gravitational wave, a first for scientists around the world. Don't wait for an epiphany, share Rainer's story with a friend or colleague today. (Images and footage courtesy of MIT and LIGO) This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us as we "Countdown to Kavli" by featuring the achievements of the Kavli Award winners from the last decade (2008-2018) until The Kavli Prize for 2018 is announced via livestream on May 31st. Learn more about the announcement livestream here: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive Which scientists do you think should win on May 31st? Check out the #CRISPR conversation at "ReWriting Life: The Promise and Peril of Editing Your DNA" program moderated by journalist Lesley Stahl and sponsored by The Kavli Foundation. http://bit.ly/rewritinglife #WorldScienceFestival #KavliCountdown #KavliFoundation #physics

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 12: Invisibility Cloak

Do you ever wish you could just disappear from an awkward or dangerous situation? Sir John Pendry's concept of an invisibility cloak could make this fantasy a reality. John devised a way to bend light around an object rendering it invisible. He found that cloaking is similar to creating a mirage: light is bent in such a way that our brain misinterprets what we are seeing. Upon making his discovery, Sir John's wife suggested he reference "someone called Harry Potter", whom Pendry had never heard of but "apparently had something to do with cloaks". Make this video appear on your colleague's or friend's page when you share it with them today! (Images courtesy of Mike Finn-Kelcey / Imperial College London) This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us as we "Countdown to Kavli" by featuring the achievements of the Kavli Award winners from the last decade (2008-2018) until The Kavli Prize for 2018 is announced via livestream on May 31st. Learn more about the announcement here: http://bit.ly/kavliprizelive Which scientists do you think should win on May 31st? Don't forget to check out the #CRISPR conversation at "ReWriting Life: The Promise and Peril of Editing Your DNA" program at the World Science Festival, moderated by journalist Lesley Stahl and sponsored by The Kavli Foundation. Details: http://bit.ly/rewritinglife #WorldScienceFestival #KavliCountdown #KavliFoundation #Invisible #harrypotter #videos #NewYorkCity #Kavli #hogwarts #invisibility

Brilliant Breakthroughs Ep. 11: Memorable Achievements

How good is your memory? Neuroscientist Brenda Milner is considered the world's top expert on memory, but she didn't originally set out to study this particular field. While working on her Ph.D., one patient changed the entire course of her career. Milner would go on to study his brain and his memory for fifty years. She found that even though this particular person couldn't create any new memories, his motor memory was intact! Her research proved that there are two different "memory systems", episodic and procedural. At the age of 99, Brenda Milner continues to change the way we think about our brains and how they process memories. 🧠 Don't forget to tag a colleague or friend below to share this memorable story! This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us as we "Countdown to Kavli" by featuring the achievements of the Kavli Award winners from the last decade (2008-2018) until The Kavli Prize for 2018 is announced via livestream on May 31st. Which scientists do you think should win on May 31st? #WorldScienceFestival #KavliCountdown #brains #neuroscience #wsf18 #womeninscience #womeninSTEM #video #theKavliPrize #science #STEM #memorable The Kavli Foundation #newyork

Brilliant Breakthroughs: Ep 10 Midnight Musings

Do you ever lie awake pondering the really big questions like the meaning of life or the origin of the cosmos? One night, while his wife and son slept in the next room, #physicist Alan Guth was up late pondering one of those really big questions when inspiration struck him. Thanks to his midnight musings, Guth imagined a "very surprising feature of physics" at the beginning of the Big Bang that he would go on to call his "Inflation Theory". Don't wait for the next time you're up late pondering the big questions, share Alan's story with a friend right now! This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the "Eureka!" moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us as we "Countdown to Kavli" by featuring the achievements of the Kavli Award winners from the last decade (2008-2018) until the 2018 Kavli Prize is announced via livestream on May 31st. Which scientists do you think should win on May 31st? #WorldScienceFestival #KavliCountdown #bigbang #science #physics #surprise #midnight #cosmos #bigbangtheory The Kavli Prize The Kavli Foundation #WSF18 Rockefeller Foundation Chan Zuckerberg Initiative