This weekend a group of undergraduates, postgraduates and staff from the School of Chemistry went on an expedition to Dunbar to take part in their Science Festival. We were celebrating the International Year of Crystallography and had a great time showing the kids crystals they can find in their kitchens using microscopes. We explained how crystals form and why understanding their structure is important to chemists. It was a fun weekend for all involved and we hope to have inspired some budding chemists!

During the National Science and Engineering Week, students and staff from the School of Chemistry helped out in a community event held at the North Edinburgh Arts Centre which highlighted the chemical reactions which transform cake ingredients into sponge. Through a series of ???hands-on??? work stations attendees were able to learn about acids and bases, the miscibility of fluids, protein denaturation and non-newtonian fluids. At the end, participants were given the opportunity to decorate their own cupcake.

The Solar Spark saw a record-breaking 75,000 visitors attend the Big Bang Fair Birmingham on 15-16^th March. More than 100 children and parents had a go on the bike generator to see how much pedal power is required to run various domestic appliances, illustrating just how much energy we all use each day. During the two day drop-in session, everyone had a chance to play with fruit batteries and all kinds of solar toys, as well as find out more about the science behind making solar cells (light absorption, energy conversion and electricity) from the friendly volunteers.

To celebrate the International Year of Crystallography the School of Chemistry, at The University of Edinburgh, is launching a crystal growing competition for S3 and S4 pupils from schools in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders.

To enter the competition please register by the 28^th March 2014 by emailing monica.hoyos-flight@ed.ac.uk

For 50 minutes Room T250 in The School of Chemistry was transformed into Rosalind Franklin???s small and dark laboratory at King???s College London 1951. In a mesmerising performance, Kathryn Godfrey, portrayed the brilliance and drive of a reluctant participant in the race to solve the structure of DNA.

Since the early 20th century, X-ray diffraction has been used to study how atoms are arranged in matter.

Professor Polly Arnold has recently been made a member of the board of directors for the Edinburgh International Science Festival. The festival is one of the oldest and largest science festivals in the world.

This year's festival will run from the 5-20 April.

Professor Colin Pulham explored how chemistry is key to developments such as green energy and better healthcare. His talk was entitled ???Chemistry: Our life, Our Future.???

He managed to bring chemistry to the Museum Lates crowd by linking the history of alchemy and chemistry with present day research and current challenges. Lots of excellent demonstrations, bangs and explosions kept everyone on the edge of their seat and he even made beer appear magically before our eyes.

Georg will be giving a Chemistry Christmas Lecture at the George Square Theatre on the 10th of December. All welcome.

Here are a few photos from the night:

Dr Alison Hulme and PhD students from the chemistry department joined a host of other scientists this weekend at the Sciennes Science Fair.

The science fair covered a wide range of subject areas; the keynote speaker was Dr Andrew Murray, an extreme athlete, who spoke about his experience running from John O???Groats to the Sahara. Classrooms were taken over by different sciences including neuroscience who were building cells, physics who were looking at bubbles and geosciences who were making edible earths.