Science responses to everyday life - The Mundo.es

Did you know that the degree of altruism of a person is measured by whether it feels socially included or excluded? or what is the origin of your surname? Have you ever wondered what occur in human disease bacteria that settle in our pets and how they can be controlled? Participants in the second edition of ‘Night of the researchers’ have found answers to all these questions through an activity to learn about the daily work of Andalusian researchers and their impact on the day to all day.

This activity, sponsored by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme for Research as ‘Researchers Night’, which in the Andalusian region funds the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Science and Job and coordinates Discover Foundation has met Friday in Andalusia nearly 750 researchers with some 10,000 citizens . It is considered the event was held simultaneously at the same time in 350 major European cities in science in recent years.

Andalusia’s eight provinces have hosted this event to promote the rapprochement between the general public and researchers in an informal, while highlighting the positive impact of their work in everyday life and promote research careers.

‘The Night of the researchers’ began with the microencuentros in which researchers have become the real protagonists. In them, attendees gathered in groups, were able to discover the human side of research through direct contact and conversation with the experts themselves. All in a fun environment. Moreover, with these meetings, has offered a bid of parallel activities formed by guided tours, open houses, performances and science fairs.

Journey to the DNA

a pea

One of the most striking was held in Cordoba. Under the name ‘Fair Wits’ , participants were able to discover their future in a plasma, know its past in its name, traveling the DNA of a pea while sailing in their own arteries or an archaeological dig. The Rector of the University of Cordoba (UCO) have been installed up to 13 barracks to simulate a fair like those of yesteryear, but with talents of tomorrow.

Esther

Square belongs to the department of Social Psychology. Its role in ‘The Night of the researchers’ has been to explain how context influences the perception we have of things and our behavior. “Many times you see the same image in two different ways depending on the context,” he explains.

Its missions also

was to convince the public that the most generous are those who feel socially excluded . “Whether a person is more altruistic than another is explained. Influencing variables. Socially excluded people usually are more, but only if they perceive that to be so will be able to return to being included in the group in the future,” he qualifies Square.

Mark Reed, Department of Modern History Contemporary, aimed to convince participants that History “is not something of the past” , through the relevance of the name, because through it could be found the origin of each individual family.

Fernando

target, veterinarian and researcher at the UCO, was to show the importance of professionals in your guild in the control and protection of public health. “It is interesting to know that diseases are controlled not only human level but also veterinarians have an important role to protect the public health.” His research focuses on infectious diseases of domestic animals, to distinguish the various pathogens that can be found on pets and are transmissible to humans.