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The International Science Festival is set to offer students a chance to prematurely boot their brains back into action for semester two. Taking place over Re-O Week from 5 July to 13 July, the festival will offer students a sober break from the traditional Re-O Week activities.

Leading science experts will be contributing to the week, including Dr. Bunhead, who promises spud bazookas, banana stunts, the world’s biggest indoor cloud and chocolate powered flamethrowers. Professor Terry Collins will make an appearance on Tuesday evening with insight into his research surrounding the potential development of civilisation through better connections between science and technology. He will discuss how we can build this relationship without devastating the future. Shark stalker and leading scientist Ryan Johnson will present marine research based on the Great White Shark. Johnson, who is also a wildlife documentary filmmaker, will hold presentations on Thursday 10 July and workshops on Sunday 13 July. Johnson will demonstrate shark dissections, shark biology and a few of his documentaries later that evening. For those who appreciate an alcoholic beverage, there will also be presentations on the science of whisky.

If you are feeling a bit under the weather from your return to the harsh climate of Dunedin, the festival has free health checks through the Southern District Health Board. These will run from Monday to Saturday starting at 9am on the second floor of the Fraser Building, Dunedin Hospital. The Otago Institute of Sport and Adventure will also be available to assess your health and fitness on Friday and Saturday.

For a stunning night under the stars, the Beverley Begg Observatory in Roslyn will be offering Astronomy at the Observatory every night from 7.30 – 9.30pm. For five dollars you can observe an array of our neighbouring planets, stars, nebulae and galaxies.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull will be hosting the free Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! Scifest Debate on Friday at 7.30pm at the University Staff Club. Other events include sculpture classes, a giant LEGO construction, a photography competition, and numerous talks from scientists discussing everything from beer fermentation to reptiles to the anatomy of a crime scene.

Check out the NZ International Science Festival’s website scifest.org.nz for times, dates, and other happenings in the week. Tickets can be purchased from ticketdirect.co.nz.