Science Center Scores a Coup

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New York, Boston, and San Francisco wanted it....St. Louis got it. It is Sci Fest '08, an international science festival that organizers say is growing into a very big deal. It's estimated that more than 90-thousand people will come from out of town for the event.

The draw of the festival isn't just the glimpse into the future it provides, but also the fact that it exposes people to a more "fun side of science."

A release from the science center plays up that subject heavily:

"SciFest 08 attendees can learn the science behind gambling tricks and tells at “Casino Royale: Using Science to Get Lucky,” see the latest in wearable nanotechnology at the “Nano Fashion Show,” and learn to decode what their boss is really saying at “The Truth Behind Body Language.” The festival model is designed for dialogue, and attendees impact the shape of each event by asking questions, offering opinions, and challenging the presenters."

But there will be a serious side to the event as well. It's scheduled just a month before the presidential election, and there will be forums on climate change,bio-fuels, and renewable energy sources.

Here's my prediction: Energy and global warming will be hot election topics, and Missouri is a state most experts consider too close to call. Plan on one or both of the presidential candidates showing up for this event.

It's set for October 9-13, and if you really don't want to do your work but you want to look like you're reading something official, you can read the entire press release on the Science Center website.