Bristol Festival of Ideas
Bristol Festival of Ideas 2021: positivity amid the chaos
This year’s event – a hybrid of live and digital sessions – arrives at a time of great uncertainty. Here the festival’s director previews a programme that aims to build a better future
Philip French: a titan of film criticism whose kindness knew no bounds
As she prepares to give an annual lecture in his name, Hadley Freeman remembers writing to the late Observer writer for career advice, and being met with support, screenings and spaghetti
Bristol Festival of Ideas 2017: Reflections on 100 years of change
Revolution and rebellion dominate this year, as writers, journalists and academics look back on a century of political upheaval
The Bristol Festival of Ideas 2016 preview: from Yanis Varoufakis to Frankenstein
Bristol’s latest festival of ideas, in association with the Observer, offers an inspirational programme of debate, theatre and reason
Bristol festival of ideas 2015: a green city of change
Bristol is using its position as European Green Capital of the year to look at how our cities can become cleaner and more sustainable places to live
Life and Physics
Gravity versus the Standard ModelJon Butterworth: Einstein's general relativity, and quantum field theory in the Standard Model of particle physics, have different spheres of influence. Uniting them is one of the big challenges of physics. But at an everyday level, they are influenced by spheres in the same way
Bristol festival of ideas: what to see and when
The Observer-sponsored Bristol festival of ideas is 10 years old in May. Director Andrew Kelly explains the festival's history before we pick out some highlights from this year's programme
Bristol's festival of ideas: inspiration, debate, innovation
Bristol's ninth Festival of Ideas takes place in May, once again in association with the Observer. Festival director Andrew Kelly talks about the city's rebirth, plus there are details of some of the highlights to look forward to
The Festival of Economics 2012
Part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas, this gathering of economics experts of all political persuasions promises to be colourful and informative, writes Heather Stewart
Science Weekly
Science Weekly podcast: The world awaits the transit of VenusThe first global science collaboration to measure the transit of Venus in the 18th century; barrister Polly Higgins on 'ecocide'; and the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
Rachel Carson and the legacy of Silent Spring
Fifty years after the publication of the book that laid the foundations for the environmental movement, what have we learned from the biologist who saw the need for science to work with nature? Robin McKie reports
Fred Pearce: Land grabbing has more of an impact on the world's poor than climate change
Science and environment author Fred Pearce discusses the growing threat of land grabbing with Tom Templeton
The Bristol Festival of Ideas
Ideas that last: a new book prize
Life and PhysicsGravity versus the Standard ModelJon Butterworth: Einstein's general relativity, and quantum field theory in the Standard Model of particle physics, have different spheres of influence. Uniting them is one of the big challenges of physics. But at an everyday level, they are influenced by spheres in the same way
