Science in Reading

Pint of Science - Reading

Mon, May 18 · 7:00 PM BST

Penta Hotel, RG, Pentahotel, Oxford Road, RG1 7RH, Reading, GB

Tickets are £5 and can be bought online. Each event runs between 7.30-9.30pm, with doors opening from 7pm.

Buy tickets here.

Scientists will be bringing their research to the Reading community through a series of exciting evening events next month, as part of the international Pint of Science festival.

The University of Reading is hosting three events as part of this year’s festival, an annual three-day event that sees scientists around the world visit their local cafes, pubs and community spaces to discuss their research in a relaxed, open environment.
The events will feature University researchers alongside other industry experts.

All events will take place at the Pentahotel in Reading town centre between 18-20 May.

The three events are as follows:

Simulations and Second Chances: Technology is Transforming Human Capability – Monday 18 May

Hear about cutting edge technology from two very different worlds. The evening opens with a McLaren Racing Performance Engineer who will reveal how Formula 1 teams turn vast streams of real‑time data into split‑second decisions using hundreds of sensors on each car. The talk will then switch gears to take a look at innovations in stroke rehabilitation, exploring how haptic devices and virtual reality support safe movement, rebuild neural pathways, and track bilateral hand coordination for personalised recovery.

Neurons in Conversation: Brain Chemistry, Control and Communication – Tuesday 19 May

Explore the remarkable workings of the human brain through two very different windows into cognition. Discover how Parkinson’s disease alters the neural systems that shape speech, and how researchers study the brain’s real‑time adaptation to hearing one’s own altered voice. Then dive into the chemistry of thought as we explore a rigorous clinical trial testing whether vitamin B6 can influence the brain’s balance of glutamate and GABA in autism. An evening of voices, vitamins, and the beautiful complexity of the mind.

Threads of Life: Uncovering Earth's Hidden Stories – Wednesday 20 May

Uncover Earth's secrets written in genomes and bones. We'll start by taking a trip to ancient China, where recently discovered DNA reveals surprising insights into early societies. How did one of China's earliest urban settlers live? These questions have only just started to be unlocked. Join our paleogeneticist as he shares the findings from a novel study published in 2025. Then, fast-forward to today's living landscape, uncovering how cremation practices have an effect on our climate today. Has it always been this way? Let's unravel the story of ancient burial practices and how they shaped our natural environment.

Tickets are £5 and can be bought online. Each event runs between 7.30-9.30pm, with doors opening from 7pm.

Reading Cafe Scientifique: Starfish before they were star-shaped

Tue, Jun 2 · 7:00 PM BST

Zerodegrees Microbrewery & Restaurant Reading, 9 Bridge Street, Reading, GB

Links to the local STEAM Groups + Social Media Link Tree

We are looking for speakers for 2026 & beyond. If you would like to get involved and support your local Science community please get in touch – email: scienceinreading [at] gmail.com or twitter: Science in Reading (@Science_Reading) Speaking slot availability can be found via the website.

A friendly Science focused group entertaining the local community with the fascinating world of science – events from hands on workshops to engaging talks. Everyone welcome!

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers.

7:00pm Arrivals
7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
7:35pm Starfish before they were star-shaped (Lucy Jackson - University of Reading)
8:20pm Comfort Break
8:30pm Q&A
9:00pm Networking
9:30pm End

Starfish before they were star-shaped (Lucy Jackson - University of Reading)

Starfish and sea urchins are star-shaped marine invertebrates called echinoderms. How they evolved this unique symmetry is a mystery. We can find fossil ancestors of modern starfish and close relatives in rocks as far back as 520 million-years ago, some of which were not star-shaped at all and instead had bizarre, asymmetrical body plans that would not look out of place in an alien world. This talk will introduce you to some of the strangest of these fossils, discussing how they lived and how current palaeontological research is using them to piece together the early evolution of echinoderms.

Lucy is a second-year PhD student at the University of Reading and Natural History Museum, London, and is an Associate Researcher at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Her background is in Geology and she received an MEarthSci in Earth Sciences from the University of Oxford in 2024. Lucy's research investigates the early evolution of starfish and their relatives. She uses CT-scanning to study 500-million-year-old fossils from museums around the world and applies computational methods to understand how fossil species were related to each other. Alongside her research, she is involved with a wide range of teaching and public events relating to palaeobiology across her affiliated institutions.

If you would like to get involved and support your local Science community please get in touch – email: scienceinreading [at] gmail.com or twitter: Science in Reading (@Science_Reading)

Speaking slot availability can be found via the website.

We meet 1st Tuesday of the month. Format is gathering from 7.00pm with talks commencing at 7.30pm. Talks timings are completely flexible but generally 40-60mins + Q&A with a ~20mins break to encourage social networking.

Contact’s: email: scienceinreading [at] gmail.com or twitter: Science in Reading (@Science_Reading)