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Given the current global pandemic, sharing Cambridge’s latest research has never been more important. With panel discussions on everything from COVID research and the impact on children of growing up in an increasingly insecure world, to the future of genome editing, our events showcase the depth of world-leading research at Cambridge.

It is impossible to ignore the current global COVID-19 pandemic, and by extension infectious diseases, when talking about health in 2021. A range of events, from talks to online games, take us inside the science during this unprecedented time. 

• version is an online game which puts you in the heart of the World Health Organisation, assigned to one of five teams to investigate reports of an emerging pandemic. Work with your team to quickly understand this emerging crisis to make fast moral decisions and solve science-based puzzles.

• Hear about the being undertaken by scientists and medical professionals at Cambridge ̽»¨Ö±²¥ Hospitals NHS Trust, which is helping us understand the virus better, as well as developing new diagnostics and treatments for the disease.

• What have we learnt one year on from the coronavirus outbreak? of experts from diverse fields, including policy makers, virologists with expertise in pandemics, vaccine specialists, and epidemiologists to discuss the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• with Dr Tim Baker, an Academic Clinical Fellow and ICU Specialist Registrar at Cambridge ̽»¨Ö±²¥ Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and creator of a ground-breaking iPad app that allows critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) communicate with health-care professionals and loved ones when mechanical ventilation makes talking impossible. ̽»¨Ö±²¥app, which is free to download, was initially developed with the help of a £40,000 development grant from the hospital’s NHS charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust - and features easy-to-use touch screen technology, allowing patients to tap on simple icons to respond to questions.

This year, we are hosting two special events with one of our festival sponsors, AstraZeneca. ̽»¨Ö±²¥first, ‘’, will give us the opportunity to reflect on the pace of innovation seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can build on this for the future.

Our will look at data science and AI and their potential to transform the discovery and development of medicines. During this panel discussion, the speakers will look at what has been achieved so far and what is realistic to expect from data science and AI in the next 5 to 10 years.

We all know the environment needs our help. ̽»¨Ö±²¥Cambridge Festival brings together a range of experts to discuss the key issues affecting our environment today and what we as individuals can do to help. 

Climate change, and finding ways to move forward into a more sustainable world, is one of the key questions facing our world today. ̽»¨Ö±²¥Cambridge Conservation Initiative's ‘’ movement will take centre stage at this year's Cambridge Festival. 

With over 30 events, including talks from leading conservations and passionate naturalists to film premieres and documentaries highlighting our successes and where to go next.

One of the highlights is an with beloved natural historian, Sir David Attenborough. Sir David will be joining us to discuss his hope for the future of our planet, alongside a brief Q&A session. Register by 1st March for the chance to submit your questions to Sir David.

Another TV darling of the conservation world, Springwatch presenter Chris Packham, will be joining us for a and telling us why he thinks there are reasons to be positive about the future of our planet. Again, if you register in advance, you will be able to submit a question. 

Other events include a trip to the , a from Caroline Laurie, the Kingfisher Group's Head of Sustainability, where she will discuss how one of the UK's biggest retailers switched entirely to sustainably-sourced wood and paper products, as well as a with Welsh conservation biologist, Carl Jones, as he discusses some amazing stories of his work saving animals and habitats from extinction. 

̽»¨Ö±²¥ ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge is home to a state-of-the-art carbon zero initiative, , and they will be joining the festival to showcase some of the world-leading climate change research happening here in Cambridge.

Dr. Tyson Yunkaporta, author, academic, educator, artist, researcher and poet who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland and senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin ̽»¨Ö±²¥ in Melbourne, as he reflects on traditional knowledge, Indigenous Peoples and what lessons we can learn to help planet earth.  

Closer to home in Cambridge, how has the community been responding to the climate crisis? from across local government and community groups, as they discuss what they have been doing and what solutions they are implementing to make local communities active participants of that change. 

Have you thought about how climate change is influencing the arts? We have a to discuss climate change and how it is influencing their work.

If you are a fan of podcasts, be sure to check out the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge’s new research podcast, . With in-depth and thought-provoking conversations around the tipping points of climate change and what this actually means to finding ways to feed 10 billion people sustainability. 

Society. ̽»¨Ö±²¥term to describe human beings together. During this time of global political upheaval, our communities have never felt more important and necessary.

We have a host of events to help us reflect and question not only our own beliefs, but that of the world around us. From asking whether the Black Lives Matter movement has really changed anything to learning about feminist forerunners, to discussing religion and its wider impact on the world.  

2020 will not only be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement spread around the world calling for actions rather than words to tackle racism. It has been nearly a year since the shocking death of George Floyd, but has anything fundamentally changed in that time? How much have governments, institutions, the media and society generally taken those calls on board?

with Pragya Agarwal, an award-winning behavioural scientist and author, Kehinde Andrews, professor of Black Studies at Birmingham ̽»¨Ö±²¥, activist and author, Ali Meghji, Lecturer in Social Inequalities at the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge; and Monica Moreno Figueroa, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge as they try to navigate the role of education and decolonisation of the curriculum.

And then there is everything else - and more! 

will be hosting a number of fascinating events delving into some of the extraordinary manuscripts in its collection. 

Cambridge libraries contain hundreds of manuscripts written in Greek between the fifth and 18th centuries, from ancient Bibles to copies of Sophocles and Aristotle. a short film and meet photographer Raffaella, conservator Sam and cataloguer Chris from the , and follow the process involved in bringing these precious, often fragile books from the library shelf to the computer screen. There will also be the opportunity to meet the team in an to ask any questions.

Learn about the importance of spectral imaging - an efficient and non-invasive tool for research on historical artefacts - and how this is being used to bring ancient manuscripts a new life. Professor Haida Liang from Nottingham Trent ̽»¨Ö±²¥ to find out the science behind this technique and how it is being applied to historical projects, from libraries to archaeological sites.

For something a bit different, why not join our zoology experts in an epic , as they compete for your votes for the best adaptation in the animal kingdom, most creative tool use and more!

Need help with homeschooling? Why not get the kids involved with one of our hands-on events happening across the festival - there’s plenty to choose from, from the to the truth about !

If you’re local to Cambridge - and it is safe to do so, why not head down to the this Easter and have a game of outdoor ! To join in the fun simply pick up your free bingo sheet on your way into the Garden, get hunting for different springtime sights and claim your prize at the end. ̽»¨Ö±²¥bingo includes lots of amazing springtime plants and animals including the brightly coloured Brimstone butterfly, beautiful cherry blossoms and the elusive Purple Toothwort plant.

̽»¨Ö±²¥week before the festival begins, you will be able to pick up a copy of the through food hubs around Cambridge. Full of ‘try this at home’ activities, including hands-on investigations/experiments and knowledge-boosting quizzes, you can even try your hand at creating your own windowsill garden to making your own Giant Sea-Scorpion. For those of you not able to pick up a copy, it is available to download online for free.

Young people from across Cambridge have been submitting their questions to our scientists and now they’re ready to answer them; everything from , , and the big bang! Join the Cambridge ̽»¨Ö±²¥ Press Book Shop and their experts and get ready to be amazed.

What are cells and how are they made? Using objects in the collections to find out how our cells work, you will then be invited to create or draw your own cell model to remind yourself of how everything works. 

Is electricity your thing? Why not join the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy in an where you will learn about where the energy which powers our lights comes from, and why some light bulbs waste lots of energy. Their experts will also talk you through making a special spinning toy, which will let you explore how energy is wasted in your home, with help from your responsible grown-up!

̽»¨Ö±²¥Cambridge Festival 2021 is kindly sponsored by