Imagine, at some far distant time, on some strange planet, you bumped into a stranger who, like you, was heavily freckled and had red hair. What would you talk about first? Why is it that how your skin reacts to ultra-violet radiation reveals so much about your genetic ancestry? And what has hair got to do with it anyway? Does it still really matter how your skin reacts to sunshine? Over the last twenty years, building on work in mouse genetics and experimental dermatology, we have a broad outline of the physiology of human pigmentation and how it relates to ultraviolet radiation. Is it still important to be red, or should we avoid it at all costs?
Image courtesy of Professor Rees

The lecture will consider and quantify the opportunity to realise Scotland’s renewable energy potential (approximately 40% of the European total) and will examine the more general theme of low carbon technologies and energy infrastructure, looking at specific wind and marine technologies, and other key areas such as electricity grid systems, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, biomass and energy demand reduction. Strategic links between research, knowledge exchange and economic development will offer Scotland the opportunity to participate in the development of an energy industry for the 21st Century. To this end, the production of high quality graduates and technologists and the need for partnership between government, industry and academia is essential. Key outcomes from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and their impact on Scottish opportunity,as well as the role of cities and citizens will be considered in terms of the sustainability agenda. Throughout the lecture, case studies will be presented on exciting Scottish-based energy technology projects, ranging from rural deployment and community initiatives through to major infrastructure projects.

The number of bilingual families is rising but there are still many misconceptions about early child bilingualism. Recent research shows that growing up with two languages can enhance specific cognitive skills and bring advantages that may last throughout the lifespan. A panel of cognitive scientists will present these findings and discuss their implications for parents, teachers, and policy makers.

‘The Invisible Enemy’ provides a compelling scientific account of microbes, their history, and the dangers they pose – now and in the future. Microbes are disarmingly small and simple. Nevertheless, the smallpox virus killed over 300 million people in the 20th century alone before it was eradicated in 1980. The AIDS virus, HIV, is now the world’s biggest killer infection and the single most common cause of death in Africa. In recent years, the outbreaks of several lethal viruses such as Ebola and Hantavirus have caused great public concern – yet most people remain woefully ill-informed. Professor Crawford illustrates her arguments with vivid and wide-ranging examples.

Image courtesy of bergen.org (Sars) (right)