NOT SURE WHAT TO SEE
AT NEW SCIENTIST LIVE?
Here’s what the New Scientist editorial team are most looking forward to...
The world’s greatest
science festivalEMILY WILSON
EDITOR
Everything we thought we
knew about early human
history is being torn up and
thrown out right now, so
the talk I’m most looking
forward to is Lee Berger
on the astounding tale
of Homo naledi. But I’m
also very keen not to
miss Megan Rossi on our
microbiomes, Avi Loeb for
the extraordinary things
he says about aliens, and
also Paul Davies’s take
on the fundamental nature
of life itself.
PENNY SARCHET
NEWS EDITOR
Most of all, I’m looking
forward to seeing so many
of the scientists who
regularly appear in our
articles. Like Emily, I’m
excited that Lee Berger is
coming from South Africa
to talk about how his
discoveries are rewriting the
story of human evolution,
and that Harvard physicist
Avi Loeb will be discussing
the hunt for alien life –
both are unmissable.
Astrophysicist Michele
Bannister will be talking
about objects from outer
space. I can’t wait to hear
her thoughts on the recently
discovered interstellar
comet that appears to be
racing towards us. I’m
excited to hear Caroline
Criado Perez discuss
gender data bias and to
buy a signed copy of her
important book Invisible
Women. And I’ll be chairing
a panel discussion on the
future of healthcare, from
genomic medicine to AI,
in what should be a really
thought-provoking session.GRAHAM LAWTON
STAFF FEATURE WRITER
The Main Stage is always
amazing, and day one
has a real buzz about it.
Fortunately, I’m guaranteed
a seat because I’m hosting
it. So here’s my practice run
at bigging up its speakers:
please put your hands
together for the brilliant
and uplifting Factfulness
author Ola Rosling, rocket
man Sam Rogers, the
superhuman Rowan
Hooper and, last but not
least, climate change
hero Christiana Figueres
in conversation with my
colleague Adam Vaughan.
It’s going to set the bar for
the rest of the show.LILIAN ANEKWE
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
I’m looking forward to
interviewing the science
journalist and writer Angela
Saini on the Engineering
Stage on Sunday. Her article
on the racism problem in
population genetics that
is encouraging the subtle
return of racist ideas in
mainstream science – an
argument she thoroughly,
eloquently and compellingly
expands in her book
Superior – prompted
huge debate among our
audience on social media
earlier this year. I’m sure it
will among New Scientist
Live attendees too. Hope
to see you there!TIMOTHY REVELL
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
I’m already buzzing like a
micro-drone for this year’s
New Scientist Live. I’ll be
hosting the Technology
Stage, which is packed with
talks you won’t want to
miss. Here are my top three
tips. Tony Veale and Mike
Cook will reveal the bots
that run riot across social
media, from those that try
to influence elections to
those that inject whimsy.
Rumour has it, the pair are
making a New Scientist-
flavoured bot to show off
at the event too. Chloe
Duckworth is also bringing
her own tech to her talk,
though it’s a little more
old school. She’ll give a
step-by-step guide on
how to recreate ancient
technologies, such as stone
tools, to work how our
ancestors did the same.
Finally, you’ll want to be
there when Australian TV
legend Dr Karl tells us why
artificial intelligence, 3D
printing, genetics and
medical engineering
are all game-changing
technologies.