A group of Cambridge University students will be bringing their own brand of fun science to seaside resorts over the next two weeks. Meanwhile back at the University staff from the Cavendish Laboratory will be offering tours of the Observatory as part of National Astronomy Week.

Seaside science
Cambridge Hands-On Science (ChaOS) will be encouraging youngsters to get involved in interactive demonstrations at events in some of Britain's top holiday destinations. ChaOS will bring exciting hand-on experiments to ballrooms, bandstands, halls and leisure centres from the East coast to the South West this summer. Armed, amongst other weird and wonderful things, with 100 kiwi fruit, a xylophone made from drainpipes and a skeleton named Boris, they promise their own unique brand of fun science.

By getting sticky with slime, blowing mysterious bubbles, building bridges galore and much more, the group not only explain some of science's intriguing puzzles but also encourage people to answer many for themselves.

One of the event organisers, Sarah Crisp explained:

"There is much more to science than white coats and laboratories. We want to show that science is fun and relevant. The ChaOS events provide a unique opportunity to get your hands on exciting science with lively one-to-one helpers."

Tour dates
Sat 16 Aug - Skegness, Methodist Church Hall, Algitha Rd
Sun 17 Aug - Cleethorpes, The Winter Gardens
Tue 19 Aug - Gloucester, GL1 Leisure Centre
Wed 20 Aug - Ross on Wye, The Market Hall
Thu 21 Aug - Malvern, Lyttelton Rooms
Sat 23 Aug - Kingsbridge, The Quay
Sun 24 Aug - Ivybridge, Chapel Place Community Centre
Mon 25 Aug - Brixham, Scala Hall
Tue 26 Aug - Exmouth, Elisabeth Hall
Thu 28 Aug - Swanage, The Mowlem Community Room
Fri 29 Aug - Lymington, St Thomas' Church Hall

ChaOS is a voluntary, student-run organisation dedicated to passing on its members' enthusiasm for science to the public. Further information about the events can be obtained by contacting the organisers at contact@chaosscience.org.uk or on 07718 656655. The 2003 tour is sponsored by: the University of Cambridge, Arthur D Little, the Institute of Physics; the Campaign for the Promotion of Engineering; the Biochemical Society; Microsoft Research. Corus and TiOxide.

Cosmic tours
Astronomy organisations all over the country will be hosting events during the National Astronomy Week (23 - 30 August), aimed at raising the profile of astronomy and astrophyics. In the University's Cavendish Laboratory, the astrophysics group will be offering tours around their observatory, the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory (MRAO) at Lord's Bridge.

Situated a few miles west of Cambridge, MRAO is home to more than half a dozen radio telescopes, many of which have played key roles in important discoveries in astrophysics over the last few decades. The observatory remains central to research activities of the Cavendish Astrophysics group, in particular to studies of the Cosmic Microwave Background and high-resolution optical imaging.

Tours will last about two hours and, weather-permitting, will include an introduction to AMI - an exciting new telescope currently under construction - which will be used to image secondary anisotropies in the microwave background.

Tours will run on Monday 25 August at 4.30pm; Wednesday 27 August at 6pm and Friday 29 August at 6pm.

There will be no charge for the tours, however places will need to be booked in advance. Please contact Kate Gilbert on (3)37294 for booking information. Further details about the MRAO may be found at the website: www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/

Further information on National Astronomy Week, as well as a listing of other events, local and around the country can be found online at: www.astronomyweek.org.uk

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