A line-up of surprises, exciting research, and science-related experiments, exhibitions, talks, debates, films and performing arts is set to further brighten the fourth edition of Science in the City - European Researchers' Night, the annual science and arts festival. It will be held in Valletta on Friday, 25 September from 6pm onwards.  

The city streets will come to life as visitors explore innovative activities ranging from flying drones to space rockets, DNA extractions to dissections, health and dental checks to lots of child-friendly experiments and games.

Project coordinator Professor Alex Felice said: "Science in the City is the right festival to experience anything from fun experiments and learning at the Science Fair or explore Malta research activities. As for space enthusiasts, there will be a lifesize Rosetta's mission of the Comet 67P, while health conscious persons can have a free dental check-up at the new mobile dental clinic or other health check-ups. Interactions between scientific work and the performing arts offer another dimension to this festival aiming to communicate science."

Chief executive of the University of Malta Research Trust Wilfred Kenely said: "Science in the City plays a major role in promoting Malta University's scientific research projects. The festival, which is free of charge, is a collaborative effort between researchers, academics, students and performers who together provide a memorable annual night of fun and learning in various fields, irrespective of age of attendees."

Project manager Dr Edward Duca said that Science in the City reaches out to a wide range of audiences - children, youths, and adults. The main activities will take place at the new city gate entrance, along Republic Street all the way to St George's Square, with other centrally located venues in Valletta.

The Science Fair at City Gate will be bursting with spectacular experiments, exhibitions, music, theatre and performing arts. These will include revving racing cars, Quakes and Shakes, street labs by Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and the Institute of Applied Science Student Organisation, an interactive exhibition by the National Student Travel Foundation, underwater projections, Giant bubbles and Fonzu l-fenek by Malta Council for Science and Technology, an EU corner, Coca-Cola's Eko printer, Science in water and a CSI forensic team.

St James Cavalier (Spazju Kreattiv) will be holding science-fun activities for children and young teens at the Theatre and the Atrium, while talks about Science and Culture of Ageing will be held in the Centre's Cinema. Inspirations Café will host a series of talks on the hour by Malta Café Scientifique. The studio room will have the Science of Electronic Music for all to experience.

At Teatru Rjal, visitors can watch CineXjenza from 7pm - a series of short films on manipulating memory and participate in great discussions afterwards. While Palazzo Ferreria, opposite Teatru Rjal, will run a series of science debates.

For the first time, the new Parliament building will showcase an exhibition of exciting research projects by the University of Malta.

Along Ordinance Street, the University of Malta's Research Trust will be exhibiting research projects in health and rare diseases including a mobile dental clinic, dialysis machines for kidney failures and breast cancer research.

Republic Street will be taken over by buskers with the participation of student organisations namely the Science Students' Society S-Cubed, University Engineering Students Association, Malta Association of Dental Students, the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers, ICT Student Association, Malta Medical Student Association, Malta Health Students' Association, Malta Pharmaceutical Students' Association and BetaPsi Psychology Students' Association. While outside the Law Courts, shows will include experiments, talks and stand-up comedy.

St George's Square will be transformed into the Rosetta Satellite Space Mission. Last year a satellite orbited a comet. To celebrate, the festival is filling the square with a life-size satellite, drone, 20m rocket blast-off, 3D printed rovers (by Thought 3D) and a comet surface you can walk through. Music and talks will discuss the science behind the spectacle. This is a must-experience activity.

This year speed-dating sessions with Maltese scientists will be set up at the King's Own Band Club, while indie game developers invite participants to play their games at the Ritz Arcade, City Lights. BirdLife Malta will be presenting experiments and talks and those who wish to explore the Neolithic period can visit the exhibits at the National Museum of Archaeology.

There will also be street performers, swarming dancers and jugglers roaming along Republic Street with flames and robotic movements.

Other participating organisations include the Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy, Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations, Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, Steam, Action for Breast Cancer, Europa Donna, Alive Charity Foundation, UoM Racing, Electronic Music Malta, Takeoff Business Incubator, University of Malta Library, Play Fuel Manchester, the Malta Police Forensic Science Laboratory, Heritage Malta and Water Services Corporation.

Science in the City is part of the EU-wide celebration European Researchers' Night. It is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the Horizon 2020 Programme of the EU and a number of corporate sponsors. It is recognised as a festival by Europe for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE).

The full programme of the activities can be viewed on www.scienceinthecity.org.mt or by following the festival on Facebook for regular updates: www.facebook.com/ScienceInTheCityMalta