Children and adults from across Scotland will have the opportunity to learn how a bio-economy may save the world at an exhibition being hosted by Satrosphere Science Centre in Aberdeen, the only UK location it will visit on its European tour.
The Bioprom – Mission Possible exhibition, which is now open at the centre, is an interactive show which aims to address some of the complexities of the bio-economy through the use of displays, workshops, tours and talks.
Mission Possible is being run in partnership with Aberdeen University and will be based at Satrosphere for four months, when schools, academics and members of the public can visit and discover more about the bio-economy and what it means to the future of our world.
At its simplest, the bio-economy involves biological research with the economy, but at its fullest it encompasses highly relevant issues pertaining to farming – such as global shortages in land, fishing, overfishing and aquaculture, and EU policy.
The exhibition has three main areas of interest: agriculture and fisheries, food and wellbeing, and biotechnology and life sciences. Each area has its own dedicated programme of workshops, with scope for researchers to take part in themed debates and talks, and evening events aimed at a more adult audience.
Mission Possible has something for everyone, from augmented reality tours and touchscreen games, to fish tanks teeming with life, and edible insects. There will also be an art competition open to all, with a limited-edition Lego prize for the winner.
Amy Hayward, Bioprom project leader, is very excited to have the exhibition in Scotland, one of only four locations it will visit on its European tour.
“Our exhibition aims to address global and national issues – like the spread of disease and overfishing – and how the bio-economy addresses them through the use of interactive talks, workshops, and exhibits. We allow for discussion and discovery of the possible solutions to these issues,” she said.
“Visitors should walk away with several ideas in their head of what the bio-economy means in their daily lives, and how they can help change EU policy in the future to inform on what should be done to address things like farmlands and biofuels.
“With evening talks and daytime workshops, the exhibition talks to all ages on a topic that is especially relevant to Scotland, as our universities and research institutes are at the frontier of bio-economy research.”
Mission Possible is organised by the Bioprom project consortium aimed at bringing together experts who work with or on new concepts for communicating bio-economy research to the public from both regional and global sources.
From now until April next year, the project will focus on Scotland, communicating research through the Satrosphere exhibition in partnership with Aberdeen University.
The Bioprom – Mission Possible exhibition runs at Satrosphere Science Centre at 179 Constitution Street, Aberdeen, until April. For further information about the exhibition visit www.bioprom-net.eu For information about Satrosphere visit www.satrosphere.net