Australia's coolest science festival returns to Tasmania for another mind-blowing year in 2025
This year, the festivities will unfold during National Science Week – from Saturday, August 9 to Sunday, August 17 – with activations spanning from the Tasmania Museum and Gallery, City Hall and The Old Mercury Building, to lively pubs, bars and restaurants dotting the Hobart waterfront and CBD.
Forget boring school science experiments or dull university lectures – this year's Beaker Street program is one of its biggest and boldest yet. The festival's signature stage at Hobart City Hall will return with headline talks and raucous debates. You can learn about the science of better sex in Come Again? An Evening of Sex and Science, look for love in Melbourne's cult nerd-dating show Human Love Quest: Your Chemical Romance!, question AI in What's Your p(Doom)?, see Dr Karl in a headline solo show, and test your knowledge in the festival's flagship Beaker Street Game Show.
It's a rite of passage for anyone visiting Antarctica to brave the cold with a polar plunge. Beaker Street Festival will once again bring this freezing 'hot trend' to the Hobart waterfront, aka Australia's Gateway to Antarctica, so you too can freeze in the name of science. Don't worry, a steamy sauna will be waiting to defrost you post-plunge.
Back by popular demand, Beaker Street's Roving Scientist Bar will take over Hope and Anchor – Australia's oldest continuously licensed pub – for three lively nights of speed dating, science-style. Meanwhile, the Tasmanian Museum and Gallery will be the heart of the festival's free program, featuring After Dark sessions, where you can explore the galleries and exhibitions late at night, including the 9th annual Science Photography Prize.
As we mentioned before, this really is just a taster of the Beaker Street Festival program. Budding scientists and curious travellers can also dine beneath the starry night sky, play hide and seek with pink-glowing possums, witness the wonders of the Aurora Australis, harvest mushrooms in a historic tunnel, and tour a cutting-edge seaweed farm. Ready to geek out? You can peruse the full program here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Mrs Doubtfire star says AI could be used ‘with respect' for Robin Williams' voice
Matthew Lawrence, who co-starred with Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire, has expressed a wish to revive Williams's voice using artificial intelligence. Lawrence stated that any such project would require the full respect and explicit permission of Williams's family. He highlighted Williams's voice as iconic, noting its presence in animated films like Aladdin and Happy Feet, and its beloved natural baritone. The actor suggested that Williams's AI-resurrected voice could potentially be used as the voice of AI itself in a new project. This concept follows previous instances where cultural figures, including Andy Warhol and Val Kilmer, have been digitally resurrected using AI with their estates' consent.
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Study warns of the hidden dangers of ChatGPT
A new study, co-authored by NHS doctors, warns that AI chatbots like ChatGPT could contribute to the onset or worsening of psychotic symptoms in vulnerable users. The research suggests that large language models (LLMs) can "blur reality boundaries", leading to what has been termed "chatbot psychosis". Neuropsychiatrist Hamilton Morrin from King's College London described "chatbot psychosis" as a "genuine phenomenon" that is only beginning to be understood. Co-author Tom Pollack urged AI companies to implement more safeguards and include psychiatrists in their safety teams to address these risks. OpenAI chief Sam Altman has acknowledged the difficulty in implementing effective safeguards for users in a fragile mental state.
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hilary Swank reveals heart-wrenching story that brought her 'to tears'... but fans think she was fooled by AI
Hilary Swank was brought 'to tears' over an emotional story that she came across — but some fans have speculated that she may have been fooled by AI. The 50-year-old Oscar winner — who is the mother of two-year-old twins — shared a post that had originally been uploaded by an account called @german_shepherd.co. The story is about a girl who goes to a police dog auction to bid for a German Shepherd that had worked with her late mother. She only had a jar of money, but others withdrew their own bids after seeing the little girl's connection with the dog. 'This story brought me to tears for so many reasons,' Hilary wrote to her 1.6 million followers. 'I'm so sorry and so saddened that this precious girl lost her Mama and I'm so happy this devoted to her Mama and family is there to continue to show his loyalty and unconditional love.' The Million Dollar Baby actress often posts about animals to her Instagram account, with her bio also describing herself as an 'animal rescuer.' However, some believe that the Instagram post may actually be AI, with one writing in the comments, ' Sounds nice but this image screams "AI"...' has reached out to Swank to request comment but hasn't yet received a response. Another commenter wrote, 'Sounds like an AI story makes no sense at all,' and an Instagram user shared, 'Beautiful story but sadly seems "created," not real.' 'Y'all know this is fake right? They don't auction off retired police dogs. They stay with the handler if they retire,' one suggested. Hilary notably has five rescue dogs, which she has previously opened up about during an interview with People in 2021. 'I think that dogs have an incredible, innate gift of reading us without any words. Their ability to communicate is extraordinary,' she told the outlet. The Hollywood star later expressed, 'Every dog that I have ever rescued and also shared my life with have all had their own unique way of being in the world.' Her passion for rescuing animals led to Hilary launching her Hilaroo Foundation a decade earlier in 2015. The foundation 'pairs rescue animals who have been abandoned with youth who, whether by choice or circumstance, have been given up on by society to create meaningful connections — changing the path of each soul,' per the official website. 'Hilaroo's programs currently exist in the form of one-week camps in the summer and holiday months as well as after school programs where a child is paired with his or her own dog to bond with and care for.' The actress is often vocal about her love for animals and sometimes wills share snaps of her own rescue dogs to her Instagram page. And during an interview with Women's Health in April, she further talked about her passion for caring for animals, as well as her love of nature. 'I have five dogs. I have two horses. Nature is such a fundamental part of who I am. Thankfully, I grew up in nature. 'For me, it's in my DNA, it's in my marrow, and I would not be the same person without it. And so I have to be in nature every day in some facet or another. And where I live is so perfect for that.' The star added, 'I have a lake right in front of me and a forest in my backyard. That's my recharge.' Hilary has been keeping busy and recently portrayed the role of adult Melissa in the third season of Yellowjackets, with the season finale airing in April. While talking to The Hollywood Reporter, the star opened up about working on the thriller drama series — which has garnered a number of Emmy nominations. 'I got a call from the creators asking if I wanted to be a part of the show and I said, "Tell me more." What they shared with me was super intriguing and I said, "This sounds like a blast. I'm totally game."' Hilary said that she 'didn't get to read anything first because they didn't have anything yet. They offered this to me two weeks before we started filming.' The star is not only known for her work on television, but also her critically-acclaimed performances on the big screen as well. She has won two Oscars for Best Actress for her roles in Boy's Don't Cry (1999) and Million Dollar Baby (2004). In April 2023, Hilary became a mom to twins — a boy and a girl — and later revealed their names are Aya and Ohm. She shares the little ones with husband Philip Schneider, with whom she tied the knot in 2018. The star was previously married to Chad Lowe from 1997 until their divorce in 2007. Hilary became a mom at the age of 48, and has gotten candid about how it had been the 'right time' for her. During her conversation with Women's Health this year, she explained, 'I would have had kids earlier. I'm not saying I actively waited until 47. But that was a magical time in my life, when it all culminated. It was the right time for myriad reasons.' Hilary later added, 'I'm a very different parent than I would've been, even in my early 40s. I'm much more patient. I'm much more understanding. I am much more, I think, interested in a different way than I would've been. 'I'm really interested in their brains. I'm fascinated about what makes them tick. And I have my career that's already established, so I'm not divided.' She continued, 'I'm able to really sink in and be present with them and be a hands-on parent.' When it comes to keeping up with her two-year-old twins, the beauty stated that she makes time for exercise — although she admitted that it 'took a back seat for a little while.' 'But even with the babies, when they're napping, I have those three hours to get my exercise in and read a script or take a meeting or do an interview.' The star revealed that she enjoys playing tennis and doing both Pilates as well as strength training. Hilary also talked about healthy eating and her own diet, which consists of no dairy and mostly staying away from meat. 'It's one of the key things I keep in mind — eating to fuel your body, what makes you feel good and what gives you energy.'
