events | super/collider

Worlds in Transit exhibition launch

6-11pm | Thursday 6 June 2013 | Silwex House | Quaker Street, London | E1 6SN

last summer, we invited a group of artists, filmmakers, astronomers, photographers, choreographers and curators to journey to the remote wilderness of northern Sweden to witness a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event: the Transit of Venus. the participants’ observations and artistic output from the expedition now form the basis of a publication and exhibition, launching in London one year on from the Transit

choreographer/artist Nissa Nishikawa filmed a site-specific performance in the forest, set to music composed by Ebe Oke. Cat Stevens and Archie McLeish will show photographs from the days surrounding the event, while filmmakers Kathryn Ferguson, Loren Filis and Fritz Stolberg used the Transit as a backdrop for new work

exhibition and publication launch on Thursday 6 June (an east London First Thursday) with an opening party at Silwex House, featuring a ‘real-time’ screening of the 2012 Transit of Venus at 10:09pm. exhibition continues throughout the weekend with workshops and screenings

Facebook event page here / images for press, blogging and publicity are available here

super/collider Icelandic expedition

11-18 September 2013

as the sun reaches the peak of its solar activity cycle, join super/collider, scientists and likeminded explorers as we travel across Iceland in search of the Northern Lights and other natural wonders this autumn

amid the stark beauty of Iceland’s surreal landscapes, we’ll spend seven nights under the stars with the best possible chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis. in autumn 2013, the sun will reach solar maximum – making solar storms and the resulting atmospheric light shows more likely, more intense and more spectacular. if you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights, this is the best chance you’ll get all decade

by day, we’ll hike to towering glaciers, visit active volcanoes, search for crystals and minerals with an expert guide and explore Iceland’s amazing natural and geologic features – from erupting geysers and natural hot springs to tumbling waterfalls and icy glacial lagoons

please note that due to overcast skies this event has been cancelled

if you’re up very early (or out very late) next weekend, join us at our new observation site high atop Hackney in the Dalston Roof Park for the latest in our PopUp Astronomy Club events

from 3am til sunrise on Sunday night/Monday morning we’ll be watching for the peak of the annual Lyrid Meteor Shower (aka shooting stars) which according to EarthSky “tend to be bright, often leave trails and are known for uncommon surges that can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour. those rare outbursts are not easy to predict, but they’re one of the reasons the tantalizing Lyrids are worth checking out”. we’ll also take a look through our telescope at the rings of Saturn and maybe a few nebulas

free but please RSVP for entry instructions. this event is obviously very weather dependent so check this page again before leaving the house to make sure it’s happening. also note the sky will look NOTHING like the image above

book launch: An Introduction To Isomorphology

Saturday 23 March 2013

join us at EB&Flow Gallery for the launch of Gemma Anderson’s An Introduction To Isomorphology – a new way of seeing and classifying the natural world that draws on artistic and scientific practice. Gemma will be in conversation with mathematicians Tom Coates and Dorothy Buck talking about things like the topology of symplectic manifolds and algebraic varieties followed by drinks and the chance to see her ongoing exhibition

talk starts at 4:30pm | EB&Flow is located at 77 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4QS

back in November, we were privileged to be involved in a workshop at CASS exploring design for the distant future. working with staff from the Interior Design BA course, we came up with a brief which challenged students to create a monument designed to be experienced 1000 years from now

thinking long-term, the students had to consider the qualities and performance of two structural materials: one well-known and trusted and the other more newer and more innovative. after researching these two materials, teams looked into global locations ranging from the coast of Iceland to the mountains of South America, taking into account future scenarios ranging from climate change to earthquakes. finally, the students had to dream up a purpose or reason for future visitors to seek out their structure

after an intense research session, the time came to stop reading and get hands-on building mock-ups and models showing the monuments. here’s just a sample – scroll down to read about the winners

November 2012

we’re super excited about our first-ever schools workshop, created in collaboration with London Metropolitan University’s Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design. all next week, students will be designing a physical monument for visitors to experience 1000 years from now. using different materials and restricted only by size (10m x 10m x 10m), they’ll consider what materials will last so long, where to site their structure and how future people will experience and interpret their monument. contact Kaye Newman if you’re a student and would like to take part; we’ll also post some of the results here in due course

PopUp Astronomy Club

ongoing

as the evenings get darker earlier, we’ll be running a series of impromptu astronomy sessions around East London – staring up at the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s moons, the lunar seas, Uranus (ha ha) and other stuff in space. sign up to the club’s Twitter feed or visit our project page to find out more

TARA party pics

as part of the TARA’s recent stopover in London, super/collider and AnOther Magazine teamed up to host a little soirée on board the French environmental research ship, which is sponsored by fashion house agnès b

after some drinks and nibbles, captain Loic Vallette and chief scientist Chris Bowler gave a talk about the vessel’s recent plankton-sampling voyage before leading tours above and below decks. you can read our full piece for AnOther right here and scroll down to see Amelia Karlsen‘s lovely photographs of the night

missed the boat? sign up for our mailing list and we’ll keep you posted on future events

October 2012

Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work in particle physics – namely drawing diagrams. his magical insight was to visualise the complex mathematics of particle interactions as a series of simple paths on a page. Feynman was also a keen educator and was great at getting even the most ardent non-mathematicians to comprehend the many aspects of physics, which is exactly what the Jiggling Atoms team set out to do. they got a bunch of illustrators to attend a series of physics lectures and now they’re showcasing the work made in response in a big exhibition. there will also be a series of accompanying talks and workshops – look out for the Feynman Diagram Print Workshop and Handcrafted Particle Accelerator talks we are co-hosting on Thursday and Saturday. all the events are free and will take place at the Rag Factory from 1-7 October

science printing workshop

23 October 2012

as part of the ün-establishment series we’ll be bringing our new Risograph printer down to the Nicholls & Clarke building in Shoreditch for a Tuesday afternoon of science, art & craft. join our expert teachers Nancy Straughan and Ciara Phelan and learn how to create patterns, prints, collages and illustrated work using science textbooks and imagery as inspiration – then create your own on-the-spot prints

Science Fair™ – The Deep Future

24 September 2012

our long-running Science Fair™ series comes to a fitting grand finale with a look at the dim and distant future. join us as we turn the basement of The Book Club into a crystal-filled cave and journey beyond the year 3000 to see what the deep future will hold for our distant descendants…

we’ll start our journey into deep time via celluloid – with a series of clips curated by the ever-awesome Aorta Burst Film Club. expect synth-rock in strange caves, humans boxing with aliens in the year 4038, etc. Professor David Smith will look at rapid climate change in the ninth millennium, examining how ancient landslides changed the face of our planet and the forces that will do so again. Dennis Duncan, lecturer at Birkbeck College, will discuss nuclear semiotics and how we plan to communicate with people in the year 20,000 read more

Hewett Street Block Party

22 September 2012

our good pals and fellow science lovers Protein® are hosting the block party to end all block parties next weekend, and it literally will be the end because their entire block is being demolished

we’ll be selling discounted stuff from our shop and other assorted science crap, plus there’ll be stalls by local designers, friends and family including: Not Another Bill, GetMe!, Jaguar Shoes Collective, Ditto Press and AC Projects – not to mention top-notch food, music, mirth etc

click here for all the info & hope to see you there!

TARA tour and talk

20 September 2012

after a voyage of some 62,000 nautical miles, the French environmental research vessel TARA will be pulling into St Katharine Docks in London this week. we’ll be co-hosting an exclusive evening tour and talk onboard the ship with AnOther Magazine and scientists from the TARA’s recent plankton-collecting expedition. you’ll be among the first to get a look round this incredible floating laboratory, but spaces are very limited due to the size of the ship

this is a free event and tickets will be allocated on a lottery basis. click here if you’d like to attend and we’ll let you know on Tuesday September 18

science weekend at KXFS

August 2012

a weekend of science-leaning events at the King’s Cross Filling Station, a stunning new public space and pop-up restaurant on the Regent’s Canal read more

Exhibition Roadshow: Particles

Monday 30 July 2012

ever thought of building a particle accelerator at home ? no, us neither. join designer Patrick Stevenson-Keating and physicist Hideaki Page for an unmissable tutorial on how they did – without destroying the universe or themselves in the process. Patrick will recount the fascinating story of his two homemade accelerators while Hideaki reveals the underlying physics behind these beautiful, handcrafted inventions

please note talk has changed time and location: it will now take place at 6:30pm at 4 Cromwell Road. free, no booking required. part of our Exhibition Roadshow series

Exhibition Roadshow: Patterns

~~Saturday 28 July 2012~~

from beehives to crystals to soap bubbles, the hexagon is found throughout the natural world – but why is this? join super/collider and guests for a panel discussion inspired by artist Tomáš Libertiny’s bee-created art installation at The Exhibition Roadshow. pattern lovers and makers Patternity will be in conversation with the artist and Phillip Ball, author of several books about patterns in the natural world, to explore one of nature’s most intriguing designs

talk starts at 5:30pm on Saturday 28 July on Exhibition Road near Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2DD. free, no booking required. part of our Exhibition Roadshow series

Summer Solstice Party

Wednesday 20 June 2012 / 8pm

join us on the longest day of the year for an extended evening of music, conversation and sky worship on the roof of Shoreditch House in East London. Dr Andrew Gregory of University College London will be on hand to discuss what the summer solstice is and what it meant for ancient astronomers while pagan music will come courtesy of The Lovely Jonjo. if the sky is clear we’ll also take a look at Mars and the rings of Saturn through the telescope as the sun slowly sets beyond the western horizon

free for Shoreditch House members. our ticket allocation is now used up – to hear about future events why not subscribe

photo by Andrew Dunn

Science Fair: Rooftop astronomy party!

17 May 2010

Guests: Doug Daniels and friends from the Hampstead Scientific Society plus DJ Joe Muggs

super/collider’s monthly pop science soirée takes a fieldtrip to The Queen of Hoxton for a special rooftop astronomy party. astronomer Doug Daniels and friends from the Hampstead Scientific Society will be on on hand with their 6″ Maksutov Cassegrain telescope to show you the crescent moon, Venus, Mars, the rings of Saturn and its moon Titan with space jams provided by Joe Muggs (Club Cosmonaut/VeryVeryMuch.com)

Science Fair: Crystals

15 March 2010
Jolyon Ralph of Mindat.org joins Natural History Museum researcher Robin Armstrong for a hands-on look at nature’s most mind-blowing mineral formations – with a crystal-themed set by The Lovely Jonjo plus a grow-your-own crystals to take home session

make your own terrarium workshop

Sunday 18 December 2011

join super/collider and botanically-inspired artist/illustrator Sister Arrow for a Christmas ‘make your own terrarium’ workshop. we’ll provide all the materials and inspiration you’ll need, including a range of scientific lab-grade glassware, then show you how to create a perfectly-balanced terrarium full of plants – a mini ecosystem to wrap up for someone super special

please note that spaces are strictly limited so book early to avoid disappointment

read more

The Moon at Luminous Books

Friday 25 November

East London’s loveliest and tiniest bookshop takes its name from the luminous orb in our sky, and celebrates the moon each year with a night of literary-leaning lunar worship. this year’s soirée will see readings by James Atlee (author of Nocturne: A Journey in Search of Moonlight) and Steve Moore (comic book guy and author of Somnium), alongside up close films and images of the lunar surface supplied by us

The Moon at Luminous Books / 6-9pm / free / 3.5 Frederick Terrace, London E8 4EW

image from NASA’s Apollo 15 mission

All About: Science

28 September 2011

the first book in our new All About: Science series launches at The Landfill Library – a pop-up shop at Wiltons Café with new books by Landfill Editions and music from L-V-L and Burning Bush of TOP NICE. illustrated by our pals at Nous Vous, it’s all about crystals of every shape and size

All About: Science is a new series from Landfill Editions and super/collider, exploring the myriad worlds of science through the eyes of contemporary image makers