As part of the Midlands Science Festival, Midlands Science has produced a series of short animations exploring what it means to be human, looking at everything from our bodies to vaccines to bionics.

The Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland as part of national Science Week. Running from 12-19 November, the theme for Science Week 2023 is 'Human?', which asks people to consider what it means to be human in today’s world, and how the decisions we make today will impact the people and world of the future.

Humans are amazing. We’re made up of microscopic units called cells that make up our tissues, organs and bodily systems. Cells come in all shapes and sizes and there’s around 10 trillion in a human body – that’s 10 with 12 zeros after it! Our bodies are wonderful powerhouses that have undergone millennia of evolution and development.

The world of science is full of interesting discoveries that have revolutionised our lives. Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccine in the late 18th century marked the dawn of immunisation. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to build defences against specific pathogens. Vaccination has saved countless lives by eradicating smallpox, significantly reducing polio, and curbing diseases like measles and influenza.

New technologies are also transforming human life and bionics will become more and more common in the coming years as they have the capacity to transform life experiences for many people.

We might think of bionic prosthetic hands as being the stuff of science fiction but bionics are increasingly a part of life. Bionics or bionic implants are electronic parts that can restore or enhance the physiology of a person’s body. Most people associate the word bionics with prosthetic hands or legs.

Bionic technologies are much more than this and an example is a bionic or exoskeleton suit. These suits can help someone with mobility issues and even protect the wearer. Some suits can even be controlled by the wearer using a computer connected to their brain, which is quite useful for someone who might be paralyzed. You can read more here about the Exoskeleton Programme at DCU.

Superhero Scientist Dr Barry Fitzgerald has in his work explored how science is bringing technologies that were once in the realm of superheroes and the Marvel Universe to life and to great benefit to society. More details are here.

Midlands Science have shared more great videos with RTÉ Learn too:

With a number of events covering everything from astronomy to cold water swimming, Midlands Science is exploring what it means to be human in as many ways as possible and more details can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie.