The Big Question

This is the Big Question Blog which was originally created for National Science and Engineering Week (March 7th – 16th 2008). You can read all of the questions, see what the scientists say, leave your comments and submit your own Big Question(s) on this blog.

As of October 2008 this web site has not been moderated by the British Science Association, but we have left it live so that interested people can continue to debate issues of interest.

The Big Questions

This blog was created as part of the celebrations for National Science and Engineering Week 2008 (March 7th-16th). However, it is still live and Questions and Answers can still be submitted and will be approved. This blog was started by the British Science Association who challenged the UK public – to ask the most perplexing, unusual, profound and puzzling scientific questions possible. Top scientists and engineers in the UK have and still are continuing to answer as many of the questions as possible on this blog.

You can search for Big Questions by using the search bar or by category. Anyone can ask a question or attempt to answer one, however the British Science Association reserves the right to edit questions and answers where they deem it appropriate. The British Science Association takes no responsibility for the questions or the accuracy of the answers or the views held within “the Big Question” blog.

Calling all scientists and engineers.

We had a great reponse over National Science and Engineering Week 2008 and this blog is still receiving a lot of interest on a daily basis. If you are a scientist or engineer please help us answer some of the Big Questions sent in. Simply leave your answers to the Big Questions by leaving a comment on this blog, together with either a website link to your work or a sentence or two on what you do. We can then add you to our ever growing list of Answering Scientists and Engineers. That way we can all learn about the answers to the Big Questions (and a little about your science and engineering careers)!

Also if you spot a mistake or inaccurate answer please do let us know – we are depending on the scientific and engineering community to help us make sure any Big Answers are as accurate as possible as this site is not peer-reviewed.

Thank you!

More about National Science and Engineering Week

Coordinated by the British Science Associaiton, in partnership with the ETB (Engineering and Technology Board) and funded by DIUS (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills), National Science and Engineering Week is a celebration of science which sees families, schools, adults and children taking part in a fantastic array of events and activities across the UK. National Science and Engineering Week happens each year in March (next year its from the 6th-15th of March 2009). In 2008, an estimated 1.3 million people took part in 3,400 events through out the UK. Don’t miss out – go to www.nsew.org.uk for more information on 2009.