The ATOM Science Fair took over the Market Place from 10am to 4pm.

Children were enthralled by the wonders of Science. This particular stall was run by Siemans who make MRI Scanners near Eynsham.

Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, located at the Harwell Science Park were also there, as were exhibitors from Culham Science Centre.

Then there were a number of stalls run by the NHS, Oxford University, and other organisations doing medical research.

I am told next year will be even bigger as ATOM becomes even more an important part of the Oxford Science Festival, with sponsorship for a paid coordinator.

P.S There was a stall selling armbands for Music in the Park. They do have a habit of selling out, so better late than never.

Yesterday, throughout the day, there was the Visualise Show in the Guildhall, and Science on the Market Place as part of ATOM (Abingdon’s first Science festival).

The day began early for some, and Iain emailed me this picture asking “How many particle physicists does it take to erect a gazebo?”

His children liked the stall where you dip a tissue into water and it comes out dry – but were not sure if it was science or magic.

There was lots more to inspire curiosity and wonder in children,

and amaze adults. This is Steve King generating enough pedal power to run a computer and monitor.

Dr Mike Leary’s ZooBus was very popular,

and had queues all day to see the creatures and hear the enthusiastic Dr Leary and helpers.

Who would have thought that Science would be such hit in Abingdon (the oldest town in the kingdom)?

The idea for these Science events came from James White (pictured) who when he stood down as chair of the Choose Abingdon Partnership, two years ago, thought that creating a Science Festival in Abingdon would be good for the town. He was signing up new Atom Members all weekend.

More pictures on the Abingdon Blog Facebook Page ..

In a big week for science, when an observatory at the South Pole has discovered evidence to back up the Big Bang expansion theory, and has observed Gravity Waves, the first Abingdon Science Festival began this evening at the Yolande Patterson Hall at St Helen and St Katherine School.

Professor Frank Close (leading science communicator and physicist) from Abingdon started the evening by saying this was the start of hopefully many Abingdon Science Festivals. He showed how Abingdon was at the very centre of science, surrounded as it is by Fusion research at Culham, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell, and numerous science research establishments round Oxford University.

Professeur Close then interviewed Dame Jocelyn Bell-Burnell (thought by many to have been wrongly overlooked for the nobel Prize for her work on pulsars) on her career as a Cosmologist.

In the second half Robin Ince – comedian and host of R4s infinite monkey cage – performed some his standup Science show including extracts from Darwins last work “The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits.”

Robin then led a discussion with questions from the audience.

(For other Science events in Abingdon over the weekend see The Atom Guide. But Visualise is sold out.)