Simon Singh, author of Fermat's Last Theorem and Big Bang, talks about his latest book, which explores mathematical themes hidden in The Simpsons. Everyone knows that The Simpsons is the most successful show in television history, but very few people realise that its team of mathematically gifted writers have used the show to explore everything from calculus to geometry, from pi to game theory, and from infinitesimals to infinity. Singh will also discuss how writers of Futurama have similarly made it their missions to smuggle deep mathematical ideas into the series.

IMPORTANT NOTE: observant skeptics (that is skeptics who attend religiously) will have noticed this event is on a Wednesday evening rather than our usual Thursdays. We'll also be starting as close to 7pm as we can to enable Simon to get the last train!

The answer is, they all take centre stage in the Roman Medicine Roadshow, a public education workshop organised by Merseyside-based non-profit organisation, Big Heritage:

Developed by a team of archaeologists and funded by the Wellcome Trust; this project explores medicine in the Roman world, and examines how human remains and archaeological discoveries can tell us more about the practicalities and ethics of medicine in the past. Exploring the past also helps shed light upon the logic of modern-day faith healing and sacred temples by viewing them through 2nd century eyes.

This talk will be given by archaeologists from Big Heritage, and will consist of a light-hearted lecture followed by an opportunity to handle a range of Roman medical tools and casts of human remains from Roman Britain displaying a range of diseases and impact traumas.

http://www.bigheritage.co.uk/

Wacky belief systems abound. Members of the Heavens Gate suicide cult believed they were taking a ride to heaven on board a UFO. Muslim suicide bombers expect to be greeted after death by 72 virgins. And many fundamentalist Christians insist the entire universe is just 6,000 years old. Of course its not only cults and religions that promote bizarre beliefs significant numbers of people believe that aliens built the pyramids. How do such preposterous views succeed in entrenching themselves in the minds of sane, intelligent, educated people and turn them into the willing slaves of claptrap? Believing Bullshit is a witty and insightful critique that will help immunize readers against the wiles of cultists, religious and political zealots, conspiracy theorists, and various other nutcases by clearly setting out the tricks of the trade by which such insidious belief systems are created and sustained.

Stephen Law is senior lecturer in philosophy at Heythrop College, University of London and editor of the Royal Institute of Philosophy Journal Think. He has published several books on philosophy including Believing Bullshit, The Complete Philosophy Files and Really Really Big Questions.

A great warm up for any QED attendees who can get to Manchester a day early!

Dr Stephen Makin:

I'm a medical doctor, clinical researcher into stroke, Skeptical Speaker on critical appraisal and evidence based medicine. .........and a lifelong vegetarian who feels that ethically I really should be a vegan. As a vegetarian in a very non-hippy world I've been argued with at every dinner party or social event I've been to. I'll be looking at the secular arguments around meat eating, animal testing, bestiality, and abortion. Not to mention some of the common myths for and against vegetarianism: was Hitler really vegetarian? does it matter?