Thinking on Science: The Alchemy of Us

In her new book The Alchemy of Us, scientist and science writer Ainissa Ramirez examines eight inventions-clocks, steel rails, copper communication cables, photographic film, light bulbs, hard disks, scientific labware, and silicon chips-and reveals how they shaped the human experience. She describes how our pursuit of precision in timepieces changed how we sleep; how the railroad helped commercialize Christmas; and how a young chemist exposed the use of Polaroid's cameras to create passbooks to track black citizens in apartheid South Africa. These fascinating and inspiring stories offer new perspectives on our relationships with technologies.

Ramirez shows how materials were shaped by inventors, but also how those materials shaped culture. Ramirez showcases little-known inventors-particularly people of colour and women-who had a significant impact but whose accomplishments have been hidden by bias, and convention. She shows us the power of telling inclusive stories about technology and that innovation is universal-whether it's splicing beats with two turntables and a microphone or splicing genes with two test tubes and CRISPR.

The Alchemy of Us will be available on the day.

Ainissa Ramirez is a materials scientist and sought-after public speaker and science communicator. A Brown and Stanford graduate, she has worked as a research scientist at Bell Labs and held academic positions at Yale University and MIT. She has written for Time, Scientific American, the, American Scientist and Forbes, and makes regular appearances on PBS's SciTech Now.

Prices:
Standard: GBP 8.00
Concessions: GBP 5.00
Ethical Society Members: GBP 0.00

Artists/Speakers: Ainissa Ramirez

Category: Attractions, Talks and Lectures

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/545785-2?pid=5072