York 800: Science and Innovation to the fore this summer (From York Press)

York 800: Science and Innovation to the fore this summer

7:30am Saturday 21st January 2012 in York 800 news

This summer, one of the highlights of York’s special year will be the York Science and Innovation Grand Tour – a stunning celebration and promotion of York’s achievements in science and innovation.

There will be around 80 astounding large format images and messages in key locations around the city, themed on science and innovation. They’ll be educational, fun and compelling for residents and visitors alike.

There are currently over 500 technology companies located in and around the city.

Over the centuries, the people of York have made huge contributions to a whole range of scientific fields, from astronomy and the science of flight to geology and, most recently, to biology and information technology.

The York Science and Innovation Grand Tour images will tell some amazing stories about these achievements.

Each image will have a QR code, so that people with smartphones will be able to scan the code and find out more about the image, the story and the people behind it. There’ll also be a printed guide and an exclusive mobile app to download.

The York Science and Innovation Grand Tour is led by Professor Tony Robards, and is a partnership between City of York Council, York Museums Trust, Visit York, the University of York, York St John University and Science City York.

The aim is to showcase York as a leading international centre for science and technology. So look out this summer for the stunning York Science and Innovation Grand Tour, and learn more about York’s place in the history of science and innovation.

In the meantime, visit www.yorkgrandtour.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW?

• York plant biologists have developed new varieties of a medicinal plant that cures malaria.

• William Parsons, third Earl of Rosse, born in York in 1800, was the first to identify galaxies of billions of stars outside of our own Milky Way.