Science comes to the pub

Fun and games at Little Creatures for Pint of Science 2023. (Supplied)

Matt Hewson

Everybody knows the world’s problems are often solved over a pint, but this week the experts who are grappling with some of science’s most interesting questions bring their knowledge to the pub.

International festival Pint of Science comes to Geelong between Monday, May 13 to Wednesday, May 15, featuring local scientists presenting their research to the public in the relaxed environs of Little Creatures Brewery.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event in Australia, with the festival running in over 400 cities in 25 countries around the world.

The Geelong events will see scientists from Deakin University and CSIRO discussing everything from recovering minerals from our waterways to the pathogens that make their way from the nose to the brain.

Pint of Science spokesperson Zac Arkely-Smith said the pub was the perfect setting for regular people to engage with the fascinating research our scientists were participating in.

“The core idea is that in this day and age, a lot of the science that does happen is in these big institutions and organisations,” he said.

“So it can be quite difficult for the average person who’s just going about life to access what’s really going on and also see why those smaller steps are so exciting.”

Mr Arkley-Smith, who was inspired to join the festival after unexpectedly attending a Pint of Science event while out for a beer with friends, said the event was for people from all walks of life.

““It opens up your eyes to these weird little niches of research that people dedicate their entire lives to, and I think witnessing that passion in someone else is quite inspiring,” he said.

Visit pintofscience.com.au/events/geelong for tickets or more information.