Zeki Basan, who opens the Festival, grew up in a remote part of the Cairngorms. Depending on the seasons, he is a glacier guide in Iceland and a wilderness instructor in Scotland. He describes the skills of survival used in the past in Scotland and by indigenous peoples today and shows short films of his solo adventures.
The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen’s ship Maud, built for polar exploration, was eventually sold and sank in pack ice. But she has now been raised and was last year floated back to the village where it was built. Oceanographer Prof. Peter Wadhams and polar historian Dr Maria Pia Casarini were there to see it and tell the story of Amundsen and his ship.
Roger Crofts, a frequent traveller there, looks at the dynamic natural and cultural forces shaping its landscape and people: through ice, water and fire, combined with economic and social changes. The challenges of today include rebalancing the economy and managing excess visitors, exporting green energy and preparing for future eruptions, protecting the environment and stabilising the soil. Supported by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
A hugely positive, affirming and inspirational film, exploring creative solutions in the fields of food, energy, transport, economics and education. It’s also the beginning of a movement seeking to encourage local communities around the world to change the way they live for the sake of our global future. It’s being shown to launch a series of screenings of Take One Action films in Orkney. Tickets £5 & £3: book directly from Pickaquoy online, or 01856 879900.
Some of the most appetising dishes can come from food we find at our feet, says chef Ben Reade of Edinburgh Food Studio. He’s former head of culinary research and development at the Nordic Food Lab established by the founders of Copenhagen’s world-renowned Noma restaurant. He describes the possibilities of seaweeds, shellfish and common garden weeds, and fermented foods with simple ingredients transformed by wild microorganisms.
Polar bears, king penguins, snowy owls, elephant seals, reindeer.... Stunning photographs in spectacular scenery as author and photographer Michael Leach, who has worked on over 100 TV wildlife programmes around the world, compares the wildlife of the Arctic and Antarctic.
To keep atmospheric CO2 within limits we need many other elements from the 150-year-old Periodic Table – Li batteries, Cu wires, rare earths for magnets, H for fuel with Pt group metal catalysts. Prof. Tom Stevenson, Jon Clipsham of EMEC and chemist Dr Edvard Kobal look more closely at some fascinating elements. In association with EMEC and the Slovenian Science Foundation In association with EMEC and the Slovenian Science Foundation
Orkney leads the world in wave and tidal energy demonstration, the development of a hydrogen economy, and energy systems integration through the recently launched ReFLEX Orkney project. Hear about the progress being made from Neil Kermode of EMEC, Gareth Davies of Aquatera, and Mark Hamilton of Solo Energy. In association with EMEC
Many wildflowers would not set seed without them, and they’re major crop pollinators, but many bumblebees are in decline. It’s part of a pattern for insects as a whole, symptomatic of broader environmental damage that threatens our future wellbeing; the fate of humans and insects is inextricably linked. Prof. Dave Goulson of Sussex University discusses the causes of insect declines – and the many things we can do to halt and reverse them.
9 – 11.30 pm Meet up at the Festival Club at The Reel
A science festival has a radical role in developing a creative climate for a region. Here is the story of how it began, and how Orkney was involved from an early stage in the concept.
