Thank you for helping it go so well!

Opened at UHI by a top LifeScan researcher, rounded off in Nairn by one of the UK's leading planetary and space scientists - the first Highland Science Festival went really well and showed the potential for the future.

The Festival was one of the many valuable benefits to come from Highland 2007, whose strategy included a science strand for the rich mix of elements that form Highland culture.

It was run on a pilot scale with the aim of developing a format that was sustainable and of high-quality - something that could show what a science festival could look like in a Highland setting.

There were events across the Highlands from Applecross to Achiltibuie, Grantown to Brora, Muir of Ord to Skye. Venues include Loch Ness itself, aboard the Jacobite Queen to hear insights into the mysteries of the loch and the scientific approach to studying them .

Over the two weeks of the Festival, topics ranged from astronomy and space exploration to new crops and fuels for the future.

Is whisky-making an art or a science? Can science shed further light on the Bible? And how can green chemistry make a real change in our lives?

To find out more, look at our Programme Page, where you will find full details of all the talks and events.

The Highland Science Festival was funded by Highland 2007, the Year Scotland celebrates Highland Culture, and received much-appreciated support from a variety of organisations, including LifeScan, Diageo, Jacobite Cruises, and the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Warmest thanks go to the many individuals, communities, societies and organisations who helped so much to make it possible! It could not have been done without you.

The Highland Science Festival Team