In large part, racism stems from the human brain’s tendency to engage in prejudice, a process that allows our brains to make judgments based on visual information in milliseconds. These preconceived opinions about other people are not based on reason or experience but on instinct — and they have a basis in neuroscience. But why does the brain do this? More importantly, can we use what we known about the neuroscience of prejudice to overcome this reaction, potentially developing methods to combat prejudice and end racism? Join Dr. Larry Sherman, a Professor of Neuroscience at the Oregon Health & Science University, who will explain how our brains react to people who are “different” and explore possible ways to overcome the automatic prejudice that contributes to racism in our society.

Let’s Torque and Sisters in Science are joining forces to deliver an exciting panel discussion on a topic that humans have puzzled over for centuries: space exploration. We’ll be asking what humans are doing in space currently, why we’re there, and what we might find. We’ll ponder the implications of humanity entering space and visiting other planets, and weigh up the pros and cons in an interactive dialogue.

INVENT.   EVOLVE.   DECIDE.

Augmented brains and bodies, or a return to nature? Cyber or solar? Humans 2.0 – what is the future of our species?
Humans 2.0 is presented by the Victorian Coordinating Committee for National Science Week and The Royal Society of Victoria, and supported by Phoria.

We’ve all been there, having that age old argument: what’s the bigger breakthrough? The existence of atoms or quantum mechanics; DNA or CRISPR; the wheel or sliced bread?

To celebrate National Science Week, the Science Nation is going to answer this question once and for all. Join the fun and mayhem as the best, brightest and bravest science aficionados in the land do battle in a tournament of wits and wittiness in order to find out: what is the Greatest Discovery Ever Made?

We need your help in getting materials out to Science Week event holders across the state. We’ve set aside the afternoon of Wednesday, 18th July from 1 to 5, transforming the Burke and Wills Room into the “Science Week Dispatch Centre!” We need all hands on deck to help us package up materials, label boxes and get all the Science Week gear out to libraries, community centres, schools, local governments and universities in metropolitan, regional and rural Victoria.