Mind, Body, and Nature

Ever had a 'gut feeling'? It's not just a saying, your stomach really does talk to your brain, and when that dialogue breaks down, it is linked to illnesses like depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer's. Diet shapes this conversation too, influencing microbes, immunity, and mood. With help from zebrafish, we will explore how gut signals steer the brain and why this hidden chat matters for health.

(Almost) everyone knows what a sea star, a sea urchin, a crab, or a barnacle looks like. However, good luck asking someone on the street to describe what the larva of a sea urchin looks like. The larvae of these marine invertebrates look completely different when they are babies, and have to go through multiple metamorphoses before they develop into the familiar adult forms. Some are very spiky, others rectangular with red dots, or tear dropped with evil-looking horns. You will be surprised!

Every day, millions of people take pictures of wildlife which can be used as data. This is called citizen science, a growing movement that supplements scientific data - which is often expensive, time-consuming, and limited to specific areas. Citizen science data can fill these gaps, giving researchers a better understanding of where species are found and how this could change. In this talk, I show just how valuable citizen science can be and why your nature photos matters more than you think.

Sometimes a single moment in nature — like a silent moment in the top of a tree, or getting a glimpse into the life of a strange insect — can stay with us for years. This talk explores why certain encounters spark wonder, shape memory, and become tiny turning points in a child’s life. Not because they teach facts, but because they touch us through body, senses and curiosity.