EUROPE’S biggest science festival has revealed its programme of events for the upcoming Easter holidays.

To mark the 75th anniversary of Edinburgh becoming the world’s leading festival city by becoming the first of its kind, the Science Festival has announced an exciting programme of exhibitions, as well as a science playground, workshops and “Big Ideas” discussions, among much more.

The festival is for curious minds of all ages and takes place in and around the capital from April 9 to 24. It is the first of the biggest Edinburgh festivals to take place this year, in what organisers are calling a year of transition and recovery.

With Revolutions as its 2022 theme, the festival celebrates 50 years since James Lovelock first referred to his revolutionary Gaia hypothesis in print – drawing public attention to the interconnectedness of the delicate ecological cycles essential to sustaining life on Earth.

Focusing on revolutionary approaches to everything from personal to planetary health – and with an unashamed emphasis on the urgency of tackling the climate crisis – the 2022 event will explore lifeforms, lifecycles, revolutionary ideas and solutions to global challenges, accompanied by a heartfelt call for a shift in attitudes and behaviours to combat the climate crisis and protect the delicately interconnected lifecycles and biodiversity of our planet.

Edinburgh Science Festival’s creative director Amanda Tyndall said: “We are delighted and excited to be getting back to what we love, delivering live events that bring people together for a world of new experiences in the name of science.

“We encourage everyone to join us this April for a thoughtful yet joyful celebration of the role that science and festivals play in our lives – sharing the joy of discovery, celebrating the human spirit and shedding fresh light on the key issues shaping our future – and let the good times roll!”

The festival is spread across 13 venues, including a new sociable science mini hub at Assembly Roxy, and more than a half of its programme is free. Cirrus Logic returns as headline sponsor, with matched funding from Culture and Business Fund Scotland.

More than 50% of the speakers at the festival are women and include experts such as conservationist and 2022 Edinburgh Medal recipient Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, anthropologist and best-selling author Victoria Finlay and environmental journalist Gaia Vince.

Festival highlights include the City Art Centre – five floors of hands-on science for children as young as three. It offers a world-class range of bookable and drop-in activities and workshops.

Also taking place is DATASPHERE at the National Museum of Scotland, which takes a closer look at the power of big data.

From personal data to smart cities and global environmental monitoring, this free interactive exhibition explores the potential for data to make our lives easier, while not shying away from looking at some of the potential pitfalls.

CONSUMED on the Mound Precinct, meanwhile, is a free, outdoor, interactive exhibition that shines a light on our ever-increasing need for “stuff” and how it affects the planet that we inhabit.