REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 6, 2011—Scientists of the Weizmann Institute in Israel will be fanning out to bars and cafés in the Tel Aviv area, spreading the word about the latest scientific innovations and the relevance of science to everyday life, as well as answering questions from one and all.
The "happening" will occur on Thursday, April 14, at 8:30 p.m. Approximately 40 senior scientists and outstanding research students from the Weizmann Institute will visit some 40 bars and cafés in Tel Aviv and "schmooze" with the clientele about current scientific issues, the thrill that accompanies each new discovery, and life on the cutting edge of human knowledge.
Does life exist outside of Earth? Are there parallel universes? Is there really, as quantum theory tells us, an alternative reality? Is the universe really filled with dark matter that we cannot discern? How was life created? Is it possible—and do we dare—to accelerate evolution? How does the brain remember smells from our childhood? How are encryption and decoding executed in the living world? How did "star dust" —from which we ourselves are created—come into being? How do genes determine how an embryo will develop? ... and more.
The event will take place with the blessing of the Tel Aviv municipality, in cooperation with Time Out magazine.
Prof. Daniel Zajfman, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, will also participate, joining in a discussion on the possibility of life existing elsewhere in the Universe, and on the birth of stars. Says Prof. Zajfman, "The Weizmann Institute views the sharing of scientific knowledge—together with the passion that accompanies the great adventure of expanding the body of human knowledge—as both a responsibility and a privilege. Each day in Institute laboratories, we embark on fascinating journeys to unknown destinations. We have chosen to tell the stories of these journeys—which are shaping our very future—in the bars and cafés of Tel Aviv."
Alon Solar, a Tel Aviv city council member for the Young Party of Tel Aviv-Yafo and a prominent figure in the city's night life, comments: "This initiative of the Weizmann Institute is most welcome. Making science accessible to the lay public through Tel Aviv's night life culture is a brilliant combination. Truly, if all the lectures I ever attended had been held in bars, I would definitely have a doctorate by now!"
Avigdor Levine, Director of the Division of Culture and the Arts in the Tel Aviv Municipality, adds, "Science, no less than the arts, is an important component of culture. There is, therefore, an additional and unique value to the Weizmann initiative—one that integrates beautifully into the rich and varied experience of the capital of culture—the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo."
