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I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here! is back for two weeks from the 10th March 2014. Let’s take a look at the 15 — yes, 15! — zones we’ve got lined up. To find out more about taking part, see the bottom of the post.   ComputationalBio Zone Part of the 2014 I’m a Scientist Big Data Season Biology isn’t all dissections and microscopes. There are geneticists sequencing genes, epidemiologists simulating disease spread, and neuroscientists mapping the brain; computers and the Big Data they generate are radically changing science. This is the first in a series of zones in the the I’m a Scientist Big Data season, where we will explore how computers are used in real science today. We’ll look at the science and scientists at the cutting edge of Big Data and explore some of the issues that Big Data presents to society. Click here to … Continue reading →

After every event we ask the scientists and moderators to select the students who stood out to them; the students they thought asked the best questions, or engaged most in the live chats. Well done to all of the student winners, to the runners up, and everyone who took part. There were so many interesting questions, and comments this November, but there could only be one winner in each zone. The winners will receive a certificate and a £20 WHSmith’s gift card. Ecology Zone tporter10, Westfield Primary School “For asking numerous, very interesting questions, and for chat participation.” Runners up: amaziboogles14, imasnake123, inazuma, mistymagic. Extreme Clean Zone crazyxoxo, Sirius Academy “Asked some very good questions.” Runners up: danielfulton, sadia12345, bethen, candyxoxo, macncheese, genghisbranflakes, insaneharry. Genes Zone thequestionmaker, South Molton Community College “They posted some really interesting questions.” Runners up: tillieissocoollike, about80africans. Particle Physics Zone infintaneousdeath, Broadoak “This student posted a … Continue reading →

Here we are! After two fantastic weeks of competition, two weeks of questions on everything from science musicals to top tips for science we’ve had the penultimate vote, and you have your finalists. Let’s take a look at who’ll be going head to head in the final tomorrow: Ecology Zone Thomas Doherty-Bone vs. Sofia Franco Extreme Clean Zone Jessica Liley vs. Sarah Tesh Genes Zone Vicky Forster vs. Marlene Lorgen Particle Physics Zone Zachary Williamson vs. Kristian Harder Stem Cells Zone Matthew Tomlinson vs. David Christensen Tellurium Zone Julie Speakman vs. James Hickey Iodine Zone Susan Skelton vs. Simon Langley-Evans Congratulations to the November 2013 finalists! And to those who’ve been voted out, commiserations; but remember, you can still join in the live chats! We’re grateful to the Wellcome Trust for providing part funding to run I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here!, as well as to the STFC … Continue reading →

It’s the penultimate day of I’m a Scientist: November 2013. So far we’ve said “so long” to 14 scientists, and this afternoon, another 7 will gracefully* bow out leaving just two finalists in each zone to battle it out for the title! In the meantime, we’ve decided to try out something new on our contestants: We’re opening the floodgates. Tomorrow afternoon (Friday 22nd) we’ll be opening up the live chats in all the zones to any students who want to chat with the scientists. We’ve never had students chatting with scientists outside of their teachers’ classrooms before; keen students will be able to log in in their own time to chat with the scientists, get in some last minute questions, and give the finalists a chance to pick up some eleventh-hour votes, before the winners are announced at 3 pm. The live chats will be open from 12 pm to … Continue reading →

You may have noticed that all our scientists are now in the final stages of some top notch soup strainers. Not one to shy away from a charitable lol, we thought this would be a nice way for us to get involved. Make a donation to Movember here, which supports men’s health programmes that combat prostate and testicular cancer, and if you’re taking part Tweet us a photo of your ACTUAL nose neighbors. Check out the scientists ‘tashes in; Ecology Zone, Extreme Clean Zone, Genes Zone, Particle Physics Zone, Stem Cells Zone, Tellurium Zone, Iodine Zone

The third day of I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here! is just about done with, the scientists — we’re sure — will be answering questions late into the night, but for now, let’s take a look at what happened today. Today in the Tellurium Zone, carrotcake116 wanted to know why some people have different coloured eyes; heterochromia is what it’s called, and it’s caused by distribution of a substance called melanin. In the Particle Physics Zone, science1234321 wanted to know if it is possible to control lightning: Yes, to some extent. lightning is attracted by charge. we can divert it with Faraday cages. after all, it’s just a bunch of electrons flying about. We can work with that. Robots, were a big topic of conversation today. In the Iodine Zone, epicduckofepicness wanted to know whether it will ever be possible to create a human-like artificial intelligence; a question … Continue reading →

The sun is setting on another day of I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here! and here we are again to look at the questions the students have been putting to the scientists. In the Particle Physics Zone, the scientists were asked to consider what they might change about the Universe, given the chance: What law of physics would you change? Joel wants to change the second law of thermodynamics, making the world a much more spontaneously tidy place, Kristian would happily leave his desk a mess if he could change special relativity and travel through the stars. In the Genes Zone, students wondered just how plausible a zombie outbreak might really be, the advice: “Don’t panic.” In the live chats, we caught up with the old favorite questions of nature vs. nurture, Do you think genes or environment have the biggest effect on characteristics? A great question, and … Continue reading →

Well. We did it. We’re coming to the end of the first day of our November 2013 round of I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here!, and what a first day it has been. Students have asked questions on everything from radioactive cottage pies, to life elsewhere in the Universe, to house cleaning robots. Among the major themes today were the old favourites, “Does your work harm animals?”, “How does your work help people?”, and “Why is the sky blue?”. In the Ecology Zone, students had the scientists evaluating how interesting they find their research; while in the Genes Zone, the students were interested in different ways of curing cancer, and whether curing inherited diseases might play a role. In the Iodine Zone, the live chats looked at everything from football playing robots, to the future of DNA mapping; and in the Particle Physics Zone the students were looking … Continue reading →

I’m a Scientist: Get me out of here! is back from 11th–22nd November with 7 brand new zones, 35 scientists, and more than 70 schools taking part. With more than eight applicants for every scientist’s place, there was fierce competition, but we’re ready to announce the scientists who will be competing for the final I’m a Scientist titles of 2013, and the schools who will be deciding their fates. Our thanks to the Wellcome Trust for part funding the event, and to the STFC for funding the Extreme Clean, and Particle Physics Zones. Ecology Zone The Scientists: Thomas Doherty-Bone University of Leeds Aliens in our water – I look at how introduced crayfish, crabs, newts, plants, microbes affect rivers, lakes and ponds – should we worry? Sofia Franko Newcastle University I try to understand the best way to make marine animals happy in our aquariums, so that they will eat, … Continue reading →

On Ada Lovelace Day we are asked to write about a female scientist who has inspired you. This year we’re listing the 52 female winners of our zones. There are 50 from I’m a Scientist and 2 from I’m an Engineer. They’ve all been brilliant and inspiring to thousands of school students: Katy Milne Kiran Meekings Kirstin Zechner Joanna Buckley Ceri Thomas Sally Fenton Vicki Onions Katy Mee Jo Watson Joanna Brooks Suze Kundu Zara Gladman Anna Williams Jen Gupta Emily Robinson Carys Cook Gemma Sharp Rika Nair Ceri Brenner Barbara Guinn Wei Xun Amy Reeve Cat O’Connor Peta Foster Vicky Young Katherine Haxton Fiona Hatch Paige Brown Alison Atkin Carol White Samantha Weaver Lizzie Eaves Nuala Carson Nik Ibberson Kirsty Ross Anouk Gouvras Sarah Martin Jo Cruden Jo Giles Jen Paxton Jen Todd Jones Laura Soul Hayley Evers-King Leila Nichol Nicola Lazenby Suzanne Harvey Ee Lyn Lim Sarah-Jane Walsh … Continue reading →