Edinburgh science festival looks forward to 30th birthday

Europe's largest science festival drew to a close in Edinburgh today with organisers vowing to make next year's event even better to mark its 30th birthday.

Cabinet secretary Fiona Hyslop tries out a virtual reality helmet along with Ben Burnet (10) during a visit to the 2017 Edinburgh International Science Festival. Picture: Greg Macvean/JP Resell

Edinburgh International Science Festival featured 270 events across 29 venues in the capital during its two-week run, with more than 250 speakers.

International speakers included artist Sebastian Verea from Argentina, American journalist and psychologist Dr Aleks Krotoski and musician and composer Anne La Berge, who travelled from Amsterdam to perform at The Sound Revolution.

Amanda Tyndall, the festival’s creative Director said: “It’s been an amazing two weeks that has seen thousands come together in Edinburgh in the name of science. We’ve connected people across borders, boundaries and disciplines, heard from some truly inspirational thinkers and had a lot of fun along the way.”

First held in 1989, next year will be the 30th time the festival has taken place in Edinburgh.

It was the first large-scale public event of its kind in the world.

In 2018, the festival will take place between 31 March and 15 April and be themed around “Life, The Universe and Everything”.

Organisers said the event would celebrate “the wonder and diversity of life and the role we all have to play in ensuring the future of our planet is a bright one”.