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Meet the Expert for a Sizzling Summer At-Bristol!
26 July - 31 August 2006
3 July 2006 - Fancy a date with some extraordinary characters this summer?
Learn about the fascinating lives they lead as experts in spiders, edible
insects and building massive and famous bridges!
At-Bristol has lined up a series of Meet-the-Expert sessions to spice up
this summer holiday, starting with ‘Spider Man’. Martin Nicholas is famous
for his uncanny hobby. Instead of huggable pets such as cats or dogs, he
prefers the company of the hairy eight-legged species…and not just one!
Martin shares his tiny flat with hundreds of spiders and he is still on a
quest seeking for more. The intrepid arachnologist was recently in Peru in
search of an uncatalogued species known as the ‘Chicken Spider’, a giant
spider that is supposedly as big as a dinner plate. Witnesses have claimed
to have seen the spider dragging chickens into its burrow on the edge of
jungle clearings! Meet Martin on 11 August this summer to put your facts
straight on some common myths about spiders and find out about his amazing
encounters with the different types of arachnids, tarantulas included.
On 24 and 25 August, join Paul Cook, an exotic food expert based in
Bristol, for some unique delicacies made of edible insects. Paul will be
cooking up a storm and serving up ants, crickets and worms as treats for
At-Bristol’s adventurous visitors.
According to scientists, some insects offer superior nutritional content
compared to animals, providing an excellent source of natural protein. In
addition, several cultures have made insects their daily staple, a study
has also found that 80 percent of the world’s population eats insects
intentionally and 100 percent unintentionally! These edible insects are
also known as ‘microlivestock’ by academics and the eating of them is
called ‘entomophagy’. So, how about indulging in entomophagy for your tea?
We call this experience ‘marvel-licious’!
Sessions with Martin Nicholas and Paul Cook will be held at Wildwalk-At-Bristol
(Wildwalk) as part of At-Bristol’s Rainforests Revealed programme.
He is the most celebrated engineer and especially this year being his
bicentenary, now At-Bristol invites you to come shake hands with the man
himself! Brunel comes to ‘life’ in At-Bristol this August as Martin
Wiliamson, a character actor, puts on the top hat, impersonating the
esteemed engineer. Martin will be sharing interesting personal histories
and fascinating anecdotes that Brunel had experienced during his lifetime.
Package this activity with a trip to ‘The Forces that made I K Brunel’
exhibition in Explore-At-Bristol (Explore) to gain some hands-on
structural engineering experience.
About At-Bristol
At-Bristol is the leading science centre in UK and a major player in the
world-wide science centre movement. It aims to be a world-class science
and natural history centre that makes distinctive, valued and recognised
contributions to informal science learning and public engagement with
science locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. A registered
charity, At-Bristol has hosted more than 2.5 million visitors and
continually strives towards making science accessible to all.
For more information please contact Mavis Choong, At-Bristol Press Office
tel: 0117 915 7137; mob: 07967 33 4152; email:
mavis.choong@at-bristol.org.uk
Note to Editors:
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Plan a themed trip on nature and animals -
IMAX Theatre-At-Bristol
The Ant Bully: Get Stomped in IMAX 3D
The film is based on a book by John Nickle, which tells the tale of a
young boy who floods an ant colony with his water-gun, and is magically
shrunken down to insect size and sentenced to hard labour in the ruins.
Before returning to half-pint stature, he comes to appreciate the selfless
nature of the ants and learns a valuable lesson about tolerance and
empathy. Debuts 4 August and screens throughout summer, please call for
specific schedule
Meet our Keepers
Get behind the scene with At-Bristol’s animal and plant keepers and be
inspired by their dedication and passion for nature. Listen to their
amazing stories about their travel to exotic wilderness and interesting
anecdotes of their day at work. Activity runs every Tuesdays and Thursdays
throughout this summer.
Tropical Coral Reef Tank in Wildwalk-At-Bristol
At-Bristol’s coral reef tank is Europe’s first ever walk-through, living
tropical coral reef tank. Teeming with around 100 different species, the
coral reef offers a stunning slice of tropical marine life, viewed from an
immersive underwater tunnel. Constructed entirely from natural materials,
including marine rock and living corals from sustainable sources, the
tropical micro-ecosystem is home to a colourful array of sea life. Get up
close to giant clams and awesome anemones on the tank floor and gaze at
beautiful angelfish, vivid tangs and colourful clownfish as they swim
past. Information panels highlight threats to coral reefs, from climate
change to destructive fishing practises.
Rainforests revealed show in Live Science Zone, Wildwalk
Rainforests Revealed is a hands-on and interactive programme designed by
At-Bristol as part of its ongoing effort to raise awareness and to educate
the general public about biodiversity. Rainforests, being the most diverse
biome host a huge variety of exotic animal and plant species and offer the
best learning ground for biodiversity. The enriching programme aims to
leave the visitors with a better understanding and appreciation of how
varied forms of nature and species cohabit in a complex ecosystem such as
the rainforests. The fun-filled programme consists of a range of
activities that are suitable for children, adults and families. Until 3
September 2006
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Plan a themed trip on science and astronomy -
Planetarium
A magnificent mirrored sphere on the outside and an impressive 90-seat
planetarium on the inside - immerse yourself in the wonder of the summer
night sky as you are led on a whistle-stop tour of the Universe. Sit back
and discover coloured stars, giant planets and beautiful galaxies as you
learn how to find your way around in space. If you have ever wondered how
many stars there are in the entire Universe or if alien life exists then
the Planetarium in Explore is the place to be this summer. Runs throughout
summer holidays from 11am - 4pm daily.
IMAX Theatre-At-Bristol
Walking on the Moon 3D: Magnificent Desolation
The movie showcases the past, present and future of space exploration as
moviegoers experience what the extraordinary Apollo astronauts did when
they first stepped onto the Moon. Through a combination of newly revealed
photographs, rarely seen NASA footage, as well as CGI and actual
live-action renditions of the lunar landscape, moviegoers will be immersed
in the life changing experiences of the 12 men who walked on the Moon-not
just the larger-than-life events captured on the news, but what these men
saw, heard, felt, thought and did while spending their precious hours on
the lunar surface. Screens throughout summer, please call for specific
schedule
Launch it! in Live Science Zone, Explore
This interactive programme looks at the science behind different modes of
transport. Find out how planes fly, steam engines and rockets launch and
it also looks at a brief history of transport and what the future of
transport will bring. Until 3 September 2006
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