Saving the environment, the reconstruction of a Bristol dinosaur, osteoarthritis, and the key to why horses can run so fast, are the themes of a series of free public lectures starting this week by Bristol University academics and staff.
At the first talk [October 14] Remmert Schouten, from the Department of Earth Sciences, will talk about the Reconstruction of a Bristol dinosaur. A major scientific and educational project that began back in 1834 when the first fossils were found, the Bristol dinosaur (Thecodontosaurs antiquus) is one of the world’s oldest plant eating dinosaurs and one of the first to be found. The talk, part of Bristol Festival of Nature, will give an insight into its origins and the enormous efforts taken to help reconstruct it.
Martin Wiles, Energy and Environment Manager, will address environmental concerns in 10 practical ways to help save the environment (exploding a few myths on the way!) on October 28. The talk, part of Bristol Festival of Nature, will challenge some commonly held myths about being ‘green’ and explain what can be done in the home and at work to help the environment.
Osteoarthritis, [November 4] is one of the oldest, most common types of arthritis and a significant health problem affecting ten per cent of adults over the age of 50. With an ageing population wanting a pain free active life, Dr Mohammed Sharif, Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy, will explain the current research and developments in delaying or even preventing the need for joint replacement surgery.
Finally, on November 25, Dr Jeremy Burn, Visiting Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, will give a talk, entitled Staying ahead of the race: why can horses run so fast? A racehorse is a remarkable animal. It weighs approximately half a tonne and eats grass yet it can gallop at speeds of over 40 mph whilst carrying a rider. This talk will discuss the specialisations that animals have evolved to allow them to run quickly. It will address why humans can not run as fast as horses but cheetahs can run a lot faster, whether we can breed horses to run any faster, and what ultimately limits the top speed of land animals. It will also show how the University’s Equine Centre at Langford investigates the clinical causes of poor performance in racehorses.
The interactive talks take place in Waddelow Hall, Broadmead Baptist Church, Union Street (entrance behind Tesco Metro), Bristol from 1 to 2 pm. The talks, held on Thursdays, are organised by the University’s Outreach programme based in the Public Programmes Office.
No pre-booking is necessary and members of the audience are welcome to bring their sandwiches.