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From the 18th-25th of March, the British High Commission hosted a GREAT Britain zone at SciFest Africa 2015, South Africa鈥檚 premier science festival, hosting ~70 000 people of all ages over the course of the week.

Our stand included the full size, 13 meter long, Bloodhound SSC model car, that drew thousands of visitors, eager to learn more about the soon to occur record attempt here on South Africa soil! We also hosted by the 鈥楳odern Alchemist鈥� (Dr Peter Wothers, University of Cambridge), the 鈥楰itchen Chemist鈥� (Dr Stephen Ashworth, University of East Anglia), who wowed crowds with their exciting, often explosive demonstration of the power of chemistry and all of the exciting things that can be done with everyday kitchen ingredients.

The UK and SA Institutes of Physics jointly hosted a wide range of physics demonstrations, showing off magnetism, momentum and a range of other, often invisible forces that effect us every day. Professor Robin Grimes, the FCO chief scientific advisor, had a crowd of over 200, hanging on his every word, while he discussed and how flaws in materials can be harnessed and put to work!

Finally, we co-hosted the British Council鈥檚 FameLab finals (鈥楶op Idol for Scientists鈥�). The winner, who spoke about 鈥淭he Science of Happiness鈥� will be jetting off to the UK in June, to represent South Africa at the Global Fame lab finals!

from SciFest Africa 2015.