Cheltenham Science Festival has announced 114 events spanning global issues: from Women in STEM and AI’s impact on healthcare to how Trump’s presidency is affecting the scientific world and the truth behind Ozempic. This year’s Festival explores the science of the everyday while tackling the biggest global issues of our time.

Showcasing the impact of science to transform lives are speakers specialising across a diverse range of professions, including: Physicist and broadcaster Brian Cox, crime scene investigator Jo Ward, biologist Giles Yeo,  neuroscientist Tj Power, hostage negotiator Scott Walker, cameraman and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan, clinical psychologist Anna Colton, fitness and visualisation expert Maya Raichoora, statistician David Speigelhalter,  activist and changemaker Sophia Kaur-Badhan, mathematician and comedian Matt Parker, and internet sensation Big Manny.

• Cheltenham Science Festival celebrates its ‘Be the Change’ theme for a fifth and final year, alongside the sub-theme ‘Being the Change,’ focusing on the impact of making a difference

• The Festival will again be hosting the Cheltechne summit in June, focusing on women in STEM through bringing together senior academics, government services and STEM professionals to explore the retention of women in STEM research and leadership roles 

• The Festival offers three Interactive Zones that are free to enter – The Arcade, MakerShack and Discover Zone – all offering the chance to engage with cryptic challenges, alongside crafty and immersive activities   

• Festival-goers are also invited to Jetstream –a brand-new free stage venue on Imperial Gardens will feature a series of events, including a VOICEBOX takeover on Saturday 7 June featuring music, poetry, comedy, meditation and science ‘pop quiz’ 

• Booking for Cheltenham Science Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Wednesday 16 April and general booking opens on Wednesday 23 April 

Cheltenham Science Festival, taking place from 3-8 June, is delighted to announce its 2025 programme, showcasing the transformative power of science to inspire new ideas and enrich everyday lives.  

Set against the background of Regency Cheltenham, the Festival will host 114 ticketed events spanning the worlds of tech and innovation, politics and society, criminology, health and wellbeing and much more, illuminating the ability science has to influence global issues in an accessible way. As part of the Festivals’ vibrant offering, visitors will be offered the chance to discover and explore a range of captivating topics, including the impact of Trump's second term on the scientific community, the methods used to bring criminals to justice and the real effects of weight loss drugs including Ozempic. 

This year's Cheltenham Science Festival is particularly special as it coincides with the 80th anniversary of Cheltenham Festivals. As part of a campaign to bring arts and culture to 80,000 children, Cheltenham Festivals is partnering with funders, businesses, and communities to inspire lifelong curiosity in science, literature and music. The year-round initiative honours the arts charity’s legacy as a pioneer of the post-war arts festival movement. 

The annual Festival will be embracing the inspiring theme of ‘Be The Change’ for its fifth and final year, empowering audiences as individuals and as a collective to enact positive change across a range of crucial global issues. In this final year, Cheltenham Science Festival will reflect on the sub-theme Being the Change, which will focus on celebrating impact.  

Additionally, the Festival will be celebrating 20 Young Changemakers the Festival has worked with over the 5-year theme, with a series of events which celebrate their progress since 2021, as well as share their impact and explore how the role of changemaking in society has evolved over time. Former Young Changemakers speaking at this year’s Festival include activist and writer Charli Clement,  cybersecurity expert Sophia McCall, recipient of Dark Sky Defender award, Dani Robertson, climate justice activist Daze Aghaji  and award-winning mental health campaigner and speaker Sophia Kaur Badhan.  

This year, the Festival will also celebrate two more significant anniversaries:  20 years of FameLab, the world's longest running and farthest-reaching science communication competition, which recently ventured to Antarctica; and  10 years of FameLab Academy, which empowers secondary school students to develop their science communication skills through a blend of research, performance, and public speaking. Through empowering and developing science communication skills in the UK, Famelab has empowered scientists to share their research globally, with notable alumni including space scientist Maggie Aderin Pocock and CBBC Presenter Daniel Olayia.  

Cheltenham Science Festival will be working with three esteemed Guest Curators: Chantelle Lindsay, wildlife conservationist and presenter of CBeebies show Chantelle and Rory’s Teeny Tiny Creatures, Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer, television presenter and associate professor in the department of mechanical engineering at University College London and Mark Langtry, theoretical physicist, former professional footballer, TV presenter and Head of Science and Sport at Explorium, Ireland’s National Science Centre.   

Booking for Cheltenham Science Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Wednesday 16 April and general booking opens on Wednesday 23 April. This year’s full programme can be viewed here.   

Dr Marieke Navin, Head of Programming at Cheltenham Science Festival comments: 

“Cheltenham Science Festival promises a captivating week filled with events and discussions that highlight the profound impact of science on our everyday lives, as well as on a global scale. This year’s Festival seeks to explore and analyse a variety of crucial issues, including the role of women in STEM, the impact of science on politics, quantum physics and neuroscience, as well as the legacy of the scientific world as we look to the past. At the heart of the Festival is the mission to bring people together, fostering connections between the scientific community and the wider public of all ages. As Cheltenham Festivals celebrates its 80th year, there is no better time to embrace this spirit. 

Programme Highlights

The Discovery of a New Species  

Tammy Horton  and Russell Arnott explore how scientists identify and name a new species, as they unravel the process of discovery, from first sightings to classification. They explore how DNA, anatomy, and ecology help distinguish one species from another, and uncover the challenges of recording and naming something entirely new.  

Politics and Current Affairs 

As the political landscape becomes increasingly turbulent, this year's Festival speakers are poised to explore some of the most intriguing political questions. Professor and author Adam Kucharski, climate journalist Akshat Rathi and climate activist Daze Aghaji explore what President Donald Trump’s second term means for science, our planet and society over the next four years, against the backdrop of sweeping funding cuts and a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement weeks into his second term. As science shows that the effects of racism are far-reaching, impacting relationships, healthcare and the justice system, psychologist Keon West examines the data that reveals truths about racism that are shocking and tragic, in conversation with author and activist Annabel Sowemimo. 

Leading economist Diane Coyle  shares her expert perspective on the UK economy, outlining a new approach to measuring progress that accounts for current economic realities. As extreme groups like Anti-Vaxxers and Neo-Nazis have started to enter the mainstream, Ash Bhardwaj  talks to neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod and UK counter-extremism expert Julia Ebner about why disinformation is on the rise and why some brains are more susceptible to radical ideologies than others.  

Health and Wellbeing 

How do we know how to listen to our bodies? Radio host Claudia Hammond, broadcaster and obesity specialist Giles Yeo, neurophysiologist Simon Cork and  GP Graham Easton ask if putting our faith in Ozempic as a cure-for-all risks shifting the focus away from preventing causes of disease. Poppy Okotcha explores the deep connection between tending the land and living in harmony with nature, whilst blending practical advice with personal stories.  

Mark Lythgoe, Mark Miodownik, Mina Kim, Rachel Brady and the UCL demo team reveal the invisible world of our lung health, using a new breathtaking gas to light the airways and illuminate a path to wellbeing. Helen Jukes and Lucy Jones delve into a radical examination of the transition into motherhood and how it affects the mind, brain and body.  

At the Food for Thought Drop-In, visitors can explore all things changemaking while planting vegetables and herbs to take home with Project Grow, Gloucestershire Archives’ Green Pledge Project and Planet Cheltenham.  

Discover how exercise transforms our minds and bodies with non-binary mind-body coach Brinny Does  and science journalist Caroline Williams. Get an insight into the mental and physical challenges of ultramarathons with psychologist Peter Olusoga  and elite endurance runner Susie Chan. 

The interactions of diet, gut health, longevity and wellbeing are explored in events examining the crucial role the immune system plays in how we age, with immunologist Jenna Macciochi, who blends cutting-edge science with practical tips on maintaining good immune health at every stage of life. While dietician Anna Colton  and sustainability scientist Louise Gray share their tips on curating a diet that is both healthy and environmentally friendly.  

AI and Technology  

With artificial intelligence becoming part of our everyday lives, what do we need to know? AI expert Michael Wooldridge, AI advisor to the Government Laura Gilbert and consultant surgeon James Kinross ask whether AI can create a healthcare revolution amid increasing pressure on A&E departments, extensive waiting lists, training gaps and unhappy patients. Meanwhile, Stephen Fleming  and Christopher Summerfield explore whether AI tools like ChatGPT might impact our ability to think critically and creatively. Football referee Bobby Madley and former cricketer Simon Hughes as discusswhether technology is ruining sport or saving it. 

Luca Vigano, Adam Joinson and Oishee Kundu and Genevieve Liveley explore how fairytales and myths can help us understand the world of cyber and quantum. Meanwhile, young Changemaker Sophia McCall  teaches visitors how to safeguard privacy, as public information from online sources can be used to uncover personal and private details about everybody. Planet Cheltenham's Raechel Kelly and Heat Pump Federation's Bean Beanland ask how we can make the shift to ensuring our homes are future fit amid soaring bills. 

Quantum Physics 

Particle physicists Mark Thomson  and Beate Heinemann explore the next big questions in fundamental science in conversation with renowned physicist and broadcaster Brian Cox. 

Thomas Hertog  discusses a bold new take on some of the universe's fundamentals – the discovery of holography in theoretical physics, which tells us that gravity and quantum theory can work together after all. Writer and former astronomer Marcus Chown tells the story of how black holes came in from the cold and took cosmic central stage. Meanwhile, the Festival celebrates the centenary of Heisenberg's discovery of the key rules of quantum physics, with Vlatko Vedral  making the case for purging physics of classical notions to pave the way for a new physical theory.  

Reflection  

Science offers humanity remarkable insights into the future while also unveiling unique perspectives on the past. The Festival will this year be collaborating with the British Museum for the first time, as British Museum scientist Capucine Korenberg  illuminates how scientific methods can help us uncover the original, vibrant scenes captured by Hiroshige, and explores how his global legacy lives on through artists including Vincent van Gogh. Evolutionary biologist Nathan Lents  takes visitors on a fascinating journey through 500 million years of sex, gender, and sexuality. As society redefines gender and attraction, science reveals these concepts aren’t new—they’re deeply rooted in evolution and nature. 

Sustainability and the Planet 

The Festival places sustainability at the heart of its programme. Tim Birkhead, a world-leading expert in evolutionary biology, and conservationist Hannah Bourne-Taylor explore how lessons from the past can inform conservation efforts and help protect the planet’s most vulnerable species. Acclaimed author Philip Marsden journeys through the minerals that have shaped human history, offering a fresh perspective on our ever-evolving relationship with the natural world. 

Cotswold Wardens Gareth Beamish  and Nicholas Mann are inviting visitors on a walk along the ancient paths of limestone grassland and beech woodland. Explorers will embark on a journey of discovery to uncover traces of Neolithic settlers, Iron Age battles, and local folklore.  

Forensics and Criminology  

What are the tactics to catch a killer? Forensic scientists Gillian Fowler, Nathan Lents, Jose Gonzalez-Rodriguez and Nikolas Lemos uncover evidence and techniques that have helped bring Britain’s most notorious murderers to justice. Crime scene investigatorand BBC’s Forensics: The Real CSI’s Jo Ward  offersa rare glimpse into the world of forensics, chronicling some of her toughest and most groundbreaking cases. 

Psychology and Neuroscience 

This year’s Festival hosts a variety of ways to learn more about the brain and mind. Consultant neuropsychiatrist Alastair Santhouse draws on decades of clinical experience to explore the consequences of the new climate of diagnosis and propose an alternative solution. Astronaut Tim Peake  is joined by psychologists Matthias Gruber and Gosia Goclowska to reveal what a curious brain can do for memories and moods for a live recording of BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind, hosted by Claudia Hammond.  Guy Leschziner investigates if gluttony, sloth and pride might in fact help humans thrive, asking: is it really a sin if it’s hardwired in? 

Drawing on lived experience, Charli Clement, Sophia Kaur Badhan and Cassandra Lovelock examine how we might improve how we diagnose, treat and support individuals with mental ill-health through psychiatric care, how intersections like race and gender impact on outcomes and how we can ensure mental health services are fit for purpose. Journalist Sumit Paul-Choudhury  and psychologist Bruce Hood discuss the transformative power of optimism to overcome challenges and give practical suggestions to break negative thought patterns and boost happiness, even in uncertain times. 

Numbers  

Join author and mathematician Kit Yates to discover how understanding why predictions go wrong is the key to getting them right, from economic downturns to preventing terrorist attacks. Statistician David Spiegelhalter shares his essential guide to navigating risk, chance, and probability, revealing why roughly 40% of football results come down to luck rather than talent, and why two properly shuffled packs of cards have never been in the exact same order. The Times puzzle editor Mick Hodgkin and author Alex Bellos give expert insight into the world of puzzles, from crosswords to brainteasers, exploring how they are created and the minds behind them. 

Family Programme 

TikTok star Big Manny  is back with more amazing experiments that he'll perform on stage and that visitors can try at home, from sound waves to circuits and mad magnetism to sparky electricity.TV engineer and author, Fran Scott  takes readers on a crash course in rocket science, through fire, forces and fun-filled demonstrations.TV scientist and food physicist  Chris Clarke explores the science behind our favourite sweet treats, from explosive sugar, the world’s sourest sweet and plenty more sensory experiences to tickle visitors' tastebuds.  

Free Interactive Zones for All Ages  

The Festival will not only be inviting visitors to over 114 ticketed events, but also to three Interactive Zones which are free to enter: MakerShack, celebrating all things material and making; The Discover Zone, offering a world of fun and interactive science; and The Arcade, where visitors can test their skills and be inspired to become change-makers in cyber. 

Jetstream, a brand-new free stage venue on Imperial Gardens will feature a series of events, including a takeover of Cheltenham Festivals’ free programme for 18-30s, VOICEBOX, on Saturday 7 June featuring music, poetry, comedy, meditation and a science ‘pop quiz’. 

Inspiring the Next Generation  

Cheltenham Festivals’ DataFace programme, created in response to the data skills gap, will be showcased at the Festival. 2500 young people have interrogated data on topics from gender equality to environmental protection in order to find and communicate the stories they care about. The best of these visualisations will be exhibited in the Festival’s Discover Zone. Science for Schools is also back this year at Cheltenham Science Festival, offering a diverse range of events, free activities and hands-on workshops for pupils to enjoy. 

For more information please contact: 

Julie Holman / [email protected] / +44 (0)20 3103 9550 

Milly Lee / [email protected] / +44 (0)20 3103 9673