The contestants have three minutes each to impress the judges and engage the audience. But this isn't some big audio visual extravaganza, oh no. The contents' only tools are the power of their voices, and any props they can carry onto the stage. Is this just another vacuous talent competition? Well, yes and no. It is a talent competition, but not a vacuous one. These contestants must use their three minutes, not to sing, not to dance, but to present an interesting and stimulating piece of science. This is Famelab.

Famelab was originally conceived at the 2004 Cheltenham Science Festival, as a way to find the next great science communicator. During the following year around 300 competitors, drawn from various colleges and universities across the UK, were whittled down through regional rounds, ready for the first grand final at the 2005 Festival. The remaining contestants were judged according to the content of their talk, the clarity with which they communicated and their charisma as they spoke. The eventual winner was Dr Mark Lewney who spoke on, and demonstrated, the physics of playing rock guitar. He won £2000 and a slot on Channel 4.

Each contestant has already proved their scientific prowess and earned their crowns by being judged according to Famelab’s golden rule - the 3C’s: Content, Clarity and Charisma.



2006 winner: Jonathan Wood - discussion of "pharming'', which began with web-slinging Spiderman, moved to how spider farms are doomed because of cannibalism, and ended with the quest to alter animals genetically to make spider silk proteins. - won £2000 and allowed to pitch ideas to on Channel 4.

2007 winner: Nicholas Harrigan on the science of microwave ovens. - won £2000 and a fortnight's internship at Channel 4.

British Council

International Final

2008 winner: Croatia's Marko Kosicek was profiled in Croatian Cosmopolitan, invited on to various TV chat-shows and even discovered that his name became a crossword answer.

2009 winner: Mirko Djordjevic has his own "Species Investigation Unit" TV show in Serbia.

2010 winner: Vasalis Grigoriadis of Greece

2011 winner: Myrtani Pieri of the University of Cyprus on the pregancy paradox

2012 winner: Didac Carmona, Austria on programmed cell death

2013 winner: Fergus McAuliffe , Ireland on the Wood Frog death-life cycle

Famelab competitions in:
Israel
Austria
China
Libya
Egypt
USA (NASA are involved)
Ireland
Bulgaria
Croatia
Germany
Italy
Lithuania
Poland
Portugal
Serbia
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Greece
Hong Kong
Romania