The speaker for the June 2014 meeting of Cafe Scientifique at The Tea Bar will be Dr Ken Collins who is a Senior Research Fellow in Ocean and Earth Science at the University of Southampton.   The subject for this month is "Cetaceans: from whaling to dolphin healing".

Britain has a long whaling history. The streets of London were once lit by whale oil lamps. In the early 1900s Lever Brothers (subsequently Unilever) used whale oil to make Lifebuoy soap and in the 1930s controlled most of the world whale oil production for making margarine. British oceanography was originally funded by a tax on this oil. Through the 1960s the rise of environmental activism and awareness of the complexity of cetacean societies, eventually forced the moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982. The next battle being fought is the ending of keeping cetaceans in captivity. Dolphin therapy to treat a variety of human conditions has been given as a reason for maintaining dolphinariums.

Dr Ken Collins is based at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton where his research interests span marine chemistry and ecology with particular interest in seagrass habitats and artificial reefs for fisheries enhancement.

The Tea Bar will be open from around 6:30pm before the talk which starts at 7:30pm, so you can get yourself a drink and have a chat with other participants. The discussions will aim to finish around 9:00pm, though everyone will be welcome to stay around and have a chat with the speaker afterwards ... and indulge in more of the Tea Bar's delicious cakes.

The format of the evening is usually a talk of 30 to 40 minutes, followed by a short break so the audience can refill their glasses, before questions and discussions about the talk. Entry is free and open to everyone, but we do encourage you to buy a tea, coffee or drink (and cakes) at the bar to show your support for The Tea Bar who sponsor the meeting by providing the venue.

Cafe Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore and debate the latest ideas in science and technology.

Basingstoke Cafe Scientifique is a free Special Interest Group organised and sponsored by the Active Hampshire Social Club.

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