Past speakers
The Café Scientifique was founded in Leeds in 1998. The first speaker was Professor Anthony O'Hear, who attacked the notion that human nature can be explained by biology.
Since then the Café has covered subjects from artificial intelligence to genetically modified food, with speakers such as Oliver Sacks, Ian Stewart and Carl Djerassi.
Here we present an archive of speakers and subjects from 1998.
1998
The first year of the Café included discussions on Sokal's hoax, UFOs and the end of science.
1999
In 1999 discussions included superbugs and free will, with the first themed week of discussions, Science Fact and Science Fiction.
2000
2000 saw a week of discussions about science and society, while the regular Cafés covered subjects such as illegal drugs and female promiscuity.
2001
Discussions included an exploration of the links between madness and creativity.
2002
The third themed week discussed business and society, while other discussions included asymmetry and the future of reproduction.
2003
The Café discussed biological weapons, nanotechnology and scientific myths.
2004
Reports from Mars, the MMR debate and is there any future for alchemy?
2005
The Café questioned dark matter, the shape of sperm and the fuss over Foot and Mouth.
2006
Game theory, how jungle tribes cope without the language for experience and the fate of our genetic fingerprints.
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