Mr Boom, the children’s one man band from the moon, touched down at the Caithness Science Festival this week.

Mr Boom (aka Andy Munro), has been getting local school children involved in his robot building workshop, using geometry and model-making and his new ‘Sing and Dance in Time and Space Show’.  Mr Boom is a well-known professional entertainer-educator and has presented programmes for the BBC’s educational service as well as being a regular contributor to the Orkney Science Festival.

The Body and Bones Show and its dynamic presenters, Samara MacLaren and Tim Ashwell, have also been a fantastic hit with Caithness youngsters.  The Body and Bones Show comes from the Edinburgh International Science Festival’s Touring Programme and has been sponsored by Highland 2007.  The lively and interactive show allows young people to meet lots of interesting characters including Skully the Skeleton.

This is the fourth Caithness Science Festival organised by ‘Science 03’ a local group who re-started the Festival in 2003.  In addition to the workshops and shows taking place this week (20 – 24 March) a lecture programme will commence in September/October.  This programme will feature Dr. Martin Hendry from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Glasgow University who will be discussing his research sabbatical in the USA last year.

Prof. Iain Baikie, a member of Science 03 and one of the event organisers, said: “We hope to have upwards of 3000 people attend this years events.  In addition to the busy schedule of schools events we’ve organised for this week we have also arranged public events in Wick and Thurso which have been very well attended.

“We are delighted to have such excellent contributors taking part including Mr Boom, the team from the Edinburgh International Science Festival, Francis Chapman of SetPoint North at Aberdeen University, who will again be presenting her well-liked Fun Maths workshop, as well as Peter and Marjory Craig, also from Aberdeen, who are very experienced Earth Sciences presenters.”

Cathy Shankland, arts and heritage manager with Highland 2007, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this exciting project and hope to bring similar science events and festivals to an even wider audience in 2007.

"Highland 2007 together with The Highland Council is putting together a menu of options for school children in the Highlands as part of a pledge offering them a new cultural experience in 2007.  Science is an important element to this pledge and the Edinburgh International Science Festival’s touring programme will play an important role in fulfilling that promise.”