The Curious festival, organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), will take place from September 5 to 13, offering 34 free events and three exhibitions. Topics range from Scottish mosquitoes to the future of democracy and a stained glass mystery at Dunfermline Abbey.
Stained Glass Mystery at Dunfermline Abbey
Artist and PhD student Vivienne Kelly, along with Dr Craig Kennedy of Heriot-Watt University, will host a workshop on the science and conservation of stained glass. They were involved in solving a mystery over stained glass fragments anonymously returned to Dunfermline Abbey in November 2020, about 20 years after they were found nearby. Using science, history, and visual analysis, experts identified the fragments as part of the Margaret Window. The workshop will include a live demonstration of X-ray fluorescence to analyse glass colouration.
Kelly said: “It’s important that people have the opportunity to engage with stained glass heritage, and the mystery of the Dunfermline Abbey fragments gives us the chance to unravel their secrets together. The event will be a unique look not only at the stained glass, but at the research techniques used by academics and practitioners, and how individuals and communities can interact with heritage through a new lens.”
Mosquitoes in Scotland
Professor Heather Ferguson will lead a talk on the risk of mosquito-borne diseases in Scotland as climate change increases threats in northern Europe. The session will present findings from the Mosquito Scotland project, the first comprehensive investigation of mosquito distribution, ecology, and disease transmission potential in the country.
Democracy and Other Topics
Elections expert Sir John Curtice, Professor Ailsa Henderson, and Professor Chris Carman will assess the future of Scottish democracy after the 2026 Holyrood election. Writer Louise Welsh and architect Jude Barber will discuss their podcast Who Owns the Clyde?, a citizen investigation into river ownership.
Dr Amer Syed of the University of Edinburgh will lead a workshop on lithium-ion batteries. He said: “These batteries are becoming increasingly common, and while we hear a lot about them as they are used in a wide range of places from your Bluetooth earphones to electric vehicles, it is important that people understand what goes into their design and manufacture. This event will give people a great opportunity to get to grips with the global supply chain, all the elements that are used in making these batteries and packs for electric vehicles, their environmental impact, and to understand the state-of-the-art of these systems that are an important part of our renewable energy landscape.”
Festival Highlights
Professor Dee Heddon, RSE fellow and public engagement committee member, said: “I am proud to reveal the programme for this year’s Curious festival. Each year the team pull out all the stops to get a whole range of experts to join us and engage with the public, and this year is superb. The sheer breadth of knowledge they could share could fill entire libraries. For anyone curious to learn about something new, or a passion they have held for years, you can learn – free – with the people who know their subjects best, through this series of workshops, talks, film screenings and creative walking tours. It is such a privilege to be able to offer this free festival to the people of Scotland. The only question now is: what are you curious about?”
Tickets are available from Thursday July 23 at rse.org.uk/curious/.
