www.codi.beltanenetwork.org @CODIfringe #codi15 Contact: Lucy Gibbons – codi@beltanenetwork.org or 07534610322 “Alas, poor Darwin..?” Sunday 16th August |3pm-4pm| Venue 372 - The Stand in the Square| Tickets: £8 (7) @ www.edfringe.com and www.thestand.co.uk If Darwin was alive today he’d be very, very angry about what we’ve done with his idea. Evolutionary theory can be used to explain pretty much any human behaviour, but that doesn’t mean it should be. Is it natural for married men to have affairs? Are good novelists more evolutionary? Does the pill make you more attracted to your brother? Psychologist Kate Cross and Biologist Lewis Dean will use sketches, debate and game shows to explore the data behind the headlines and help decide: evolutionary just-so story, or evolutionary just-right? “Alas, poor Darwin..?” is part of a series of shows focused around provocative statements and debate - The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas. The cabaret is a compilation of 24 interactive shows where challenging questions are posed and answers are sought. It is curated by the Beltane Public Engagement Network, produced by Fair Pley and compared by Comedienne Susan Morrison. The audience is encourage to speak up and shake the grey matter while debating with some of Scotland’s fiercest intellectuals. Dr Kate Cross is a lecturer in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. Her main research interest is in sex differences in human and social behaviour, particularly in how sex differences in behaviour may vary depending on contextual factors. Dr Lewis Dean is a research fellow in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. His research focuses on the evolution of social cognition and cultural transmission. He works with a variety of primate species (including humans) to examine how traditions, culture and cognition have evolved. He has worked for Sense about Science and The Physiological Society on public engagement with science and science communication. Full Programme for the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas available below and at http://codi.beltanenetwork.org/codi-2015/the-shows/ (see attached brochure for more details). Contact Lucy Gibbons: codi@beltanenetwork.org for any queries or more information. Date Title Performers Fri 7 Soak up the sun and to hell with skin cancer! Richard Weller Sat 8 Hearing loss or deaf gain? Jemina Napier, Noel O’Connell Sun 9 GM bacteria could save your life Clare Taylor Mon 10 Cervical cancer – you’re history! Sarah Howie, Heather Cubie Tue 11 Scotland in six swallies Susan Morrison Wed 12 Stop brushing your teeth! Jan Clarkson Thu 13 Women, science is still not for you! Pam Cameron, Clare Taylor Fri 14 Let’s turn on the smart light Yunlu Wang, Aravind Venugopalan Sat 15 Not so native now Antonella Sorace Sun 16 Alas, poor Darwin..? Kate Cross, Lewis Dean Mon 17 Fashion and the selfie Mal Burkinshaw Tue 18 Whose face is it anyway? Felicity Mehendale Wed 19 The hidden world of functional disorders Jon Stone Thu 20 Wild, Scottish and free Ian Edwards Fri 21 Skating on thin ice Lorna Street, Phil Wookey Sat 22 Swords into ploughshares Jolyon Mitchell, Lesley Orr Sun 23 The cocaine conspiracy Karina Banda, Julieth Serrano and Maria Fernanda- Torres Mon 24 The war on drugs is harmful Stephen Lawrie Tue 25 Hug a thug Lesley McAra and Susan McVie Wed 26 Back to the statistical future! Nicola Osborne, Helen Aiton Thu 27 The Great British Brain Off Alan Gow Fri 28 What if Lance Armstrong had the right idea? Derek Ball Sat 29 Computers are only for geeks Karen Petrie Sun 30 Edinburgh should ban students Mary Bownes