Five Things to Do This Month If You're Interested in Science

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Whether you can't get enough of split atoms and quantum physics or wish to undo all the damage done by some excruciatingly dull high school science teacher, here's the remedy. Sydney Science Festival is back for 2017 and it's all about making science relevant, interesting and fun. The two-week-long program is absolutely massive, packed with talks, tours, performances, exhibitions, parties, food and drink, so we thought we'd make your life easier by picking out a few tip-top events. We've narrowed it down to five, covering off everything from a night celebrating ridiculous theories, to an exploration of the science involved in turning plants into booze. So go forth and prosper knowing you've got 13 days of exploration, experimentation and enlightenment ahead of you.

LIFE ON MARS: THE 2020 ROVER MISSION

For decades now, sci fi novelists, David Bowie fans and certain misanthropes have been dreaming about an alternative existence on Mars. And now, what was just a fantastical idea is now looming as an incredibly possible reality. In 2020, NASA will send robots to the Red Planet to have a good, proper look for signs of life. Their mission is two-fold: on one hand, they'll be checking out the likelihood of humans ever being able to live there, and on the other, they'll be seeking evidence of previous creatures. In fact, there's even a theory developing that life on Earth might have actually started on Mars. To find out all about the mission, head to the Opera House for this panel discussion led by Dr Graham Phillips (ex-Catalyst) and featuring four geniuses of outer space, including Aussie geologist Dr Abigail Allwood from NASA's jet propulsion lab, physics professor Paul Davies from Arizona State University, Dr Mitch Schulte, who's working on the NASA Mars 2020 rover mission program, and Professor Martin Van Kranendonk from UNSW.

Sydney Opera House, Thursday, August 17, 8pm.

BOTANY DISTILLED

There's never been a better excuse for a cocktail. This event calls on you to have a wee tipple in the name of science education. In between sampling wines from Tyrrell's and handcrafted spirits from the Central Coast's Distillery Botanica, you'll learn all about the vital role plants play in the production of alcohol — from the grapes that make up our favourite wines to the importance of well-mixed botanicals for a perfect gin. You'll be in good hands with Tyrrell's, which has been making wine in the Hunter Valley since 1858 and has taken home some 5,000 trophies since 1971, as well as with Distillery Botanica, whose international award-winning distiller, Philip Moore, uses a 1,000-year-old technique to get the purest possible perfume out of his botanicals. Immersed in the idyllic surrounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens Restaurant, as you sip your way around the science of a good drop, you'll wish science class had been more like this.

Royal Botanic Gardens Restaurant, Thursday, August 17, 6.30pm.

BAHFEST

BAHFest was a quick sell out last year, so it's back for another run. For the uninitiated, BAH stands for Bad Ad Hoc Hypotheses. Created by Zach Weinersmith from webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, the event is based on a pretty simple formula: individuals with crazy, creative, funny, yet plain wrong scientific theories present their somehow logically defensible ideas to a properly qualified panel. At the end of the night, this panel and the audience decide together who'll take home the coveted BAHFest trophy. Hosting the shenanigans this year will be Rae Johnston of Gizmodo and triple j fame, while Ruben Meerman, aka The Surfing Scientist, will deliver a keynote speech. Meanwhile, on the judging panel, you'll find Tilly Boleyn, curator at MAAS, astrophysicist Dr Lisa Harvey, James Colley of The Weekly, and Leigh Nicholson, the mighty winner of BAHFest 2016.

Powerhouse Museum, Friday, August 18, 7pm.

MAAS DIY DAY

Creators, makers and breakers, this one's for you. Sydney's creators and innovators will converge at the Powerhouse for one epic day of DIY and science. These makers will also be showcasing the latest innovations in digital fabrication, technology, food design and craft. There'll be stalls, talks, tours, workshops and demos, among which you're free to choose your own adventure. See how new technologies are being used alongside traditional craft techniques. Have a few broken electronics collecting dust? Take them to The Bower's Repair Cafe, and watch and learn as the experts fix and repair. Wondering how modern-day woodworkers combine brand new technologies with old-fashioned techniques? Catch them in action. You can also book into one of the workshops like the Change Makers: Sydney's social and sustainable creatives talk. Hear from Sydney's makers, creatives and entrepreneurs who are working to solve some prominent issues, from social inequality to environmental sustainability. Then, join their efforts and expand your knowledge even more at one of the festival's many events dedicated to sustainability, health and the future.

Powerhouse Museum, Saturday, August 19, 10am.

LATEST FINDINGS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

This short course in all things astronomical at Sydney Observatory launches in the best way imaginable: with a trip, in 3D, through the solar system. If you haven't been keeping up with science news lately, prepare to be gobsmacked by how much we've discovered — and how many more mysteries we've yet to wrap our heads around. Your travels will be in the excellent hands of Paul Payne, who's been inspiring Observatory visitors since 1984 with his high-tech presentations. Along the way, expect to catch up with Cassini, a people-free space craft that NASA sent from Earth in 1997 that's been hanging around Saturn since 2004, exploring the planet's rings and satellites. Plus, you'll catch a good look at Saturn and Jupiter through a mega-powerful telescope.

Sydney Observatory, Sunday, August 20, 3pm.

Sydney Science Festival is part of National Science Week, which runs from August 8 to August 20. The festival is led by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) and the Australian Museum, in partnership with Inspiring Australia. See the full program of events here.