A taster of the groups and activities that were located in the beautiful Kibble Palace.

Unpacking Your Plate: Healthier You, Greener Planet & Happier Animals

Visitors had an opportunity to learn about the relationship between food choices, health, and the environment. They interacted with activities such as ‘Meat Your Persona’ quiz, guiding conversations about their meat consumption and how it aligned with research findings on sustainable diets. The visitors could scan a QR code or pick up leaflets or a practical booklet filled with meat reduction tips, recipes and challenges.

Two resources developed by the Take a Bite Out of Climate Change project were particularly enjoyed by school children:

  • Climate Food Flashcards, a card game that compares the nutrient content and environmental impacts of various foods
  • The Climate Food Challenge – a fast-paced online game played on an iPad where players rank foods based on their environmental impact against the clock.

School children were very engaged with the Climate Food Challenge, they very quickly realised the large environmental impact of meat and used this to get some high scores in the game. Adults engaged well with the Meat Your Persona quiz game and were interested to discuss the common myths such as the impact of transport on emissions from imported food. In the meantime, younger kids really liked the toy food and building toy food on top of the colouring-in pizza sheets to create their favourite pizza toppings.

Researchers doing a fun activity in Kibble palace exploring food choices, health and the environment

Data Linkage: Joining the Dots

Research Data Scotland – an organisation which makes it faster and simpler to access public sector data for research – joined forces with Dr Mike Fleming and some of his PhD students at the Kibble Palace in Glasgow Botanic Gardens for a hands-on data linkage event with the public. Attendees used Lego to explore the data application process, travelled through mazes to link datasets, and coloured-by-numbers to help answer research questions. It was a great experience, bringing together two key sides of data research to help the public understand some of the ways data about them is gathered, linked and used for research.

Researchers and students presenting their work to Glasgow Science Festival visitors in Kibble Palace

 

Glasgow Subway-themed escape room style challenge

As part of the Glasgow subway-themed Escape Room, researchers from the NIHR-funded OPTIMA project and PGRs from the wider systems science team hosted an interactive activity exploring 20-minute neighbourhoods. This is an urban planning concept where essential daily services are within a short walk, cycle, or mobility-aid journey. Aimed at making research on health inequalities and access to services more tangible, the activity invited participants to map their neighbourhoods with string and build their personal ideal communities using Lego. Children and adults alike envisioned vibrant spaces prioritising green areas, public transport, and third spaces like libraries and community centres. These creative moments revealed some insights into values and priorities of the public that will enrich OPTIMA’s research by anchoring it in lived experience.

Researchers demonstrating an interactive activity to explore 20 minute neighbourhoods

 

Glasgow Sleeps: Let's Make Time for It

The Glasgow Sleeps team toured the Glasgow Science Festival including a stall at the Byres Hub Subway Escape Room, the Botanic Gardens, Our Body at the ARC, and a Sleep Hub drop in session at Strath Living Lab.

Visitors had the opportunity to talk with sleep specialists and researchers from the University of Glasgow and  Strathclyde’s Sleep Centre to learn about sleep health and practical strategies for healthy sleep across the lifespan. Children and adults engaged in interactive activities including measuring sleep and reaction times, experimenting with colours the light spectrum and the effects blue light on wakefulness and sleep, creating the dream sleep environment, and a chronotype quiz to better understand our sleep needs. The visitors could take resources home to help with sleep including ear plugs, eye masks, top tips, and a sleep improvement plan, as well as scan a QR code with resources to support with better sleep.

Researchers and visitors engaged in a sleep research activity in Kibble palace. Information about sleep research set up on a table and display stands.

First published: 8 August 2025

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