You could explore the underwater world of whales and dolphins with the Marine Conservation Society, and find out about cetacean strandings with British Divers Marine Life Rescue. You could learn about life on sea and shore with the Scottish Seabird Centre, and about bats in Orkney with Species at the Edge. You could see stories and images from Orkney primary schools inspired by Aberdeen University’s work with the fulmars of Eynhallow; and you make screen prints of puffins with Lin Chau. You could make your own Lego microbe with the National Biofilms Innovation Centre, and learn about climate change with Dynamic Earth.

Thistle Wind Partners brought wind turbine experiments and art and Lego to work with, and there were renewable energy activities with EMEC; Nov Process Systems UK brought a mix of chemistry and biology from the energy industry. There was electrical activity with SSEN and with Watt’s Electricity, and with Ken Skeldon and Janet Milne of Arcs and Sparks. Warmworks Scotland introduced insulation and home energy efficiency; and there was fractal fun with Maths Blast.

You could find out about gravitational waves from Glasgow University and hear about an exciting musical collaboration, and you could hear about the science of superheroes from the University of Central Lancashire. You could create your own constellation with UHI, learn to code with Claire Griffiths, and enjoy digital activities with the Kyloe Group and with Maria Bell of Mesomorphic; and you could build a picture of health through Health Data Research UK. You could also go outside and help the development of Number City: you could, in short, have a very active and interesting day!

It was a total immersive experience! First there was an introduction from Dr Andrew Spencer of the University of Glasgow with Dr Graeme Eddolls of Syracuse University, explaining how the very fabric of space and time resonates with the power of events on a cosmic scale – black holes merging, neutron stars colliding – and then came an audiovisual creation inspired by gravitational waves, and we put on our swimwear and goggles … and literally dived into the sound! We could hear the music above and below the water surface.

The sound was provided by two audiovisual artists whose work in their field is just about legendary. Leon Trimble’s previous projects have included bouncing sounds from the Abbey Road Studios off the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon via the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope. For the ‘Gravity Synth’ collaboration in Orkney he was joined by Joel Cahen, creator of the Wet Sounds underwater listening experience. On the following evening Leon went to the Stenness Community Centre with Andrew and Graeme to give further insights to an appreciative audience.

The whole package of activities was made possible by funding from the Institute of Physics in Scotland together with a Spark Award from the Science and Technology Facilities Council and support from the University of Glasgow and Syracuse University. Glasgow University and the Royal Society of Edinburgh also made it possible for Prof. Martin Hendry to come and speak on Gold in the Stars – the use of gravitational waves in identifying the possible stellar origins of precious metals.