2016 Press Release: Newton's Apple Seeds Launch

Newton's Apple Seeds:
 Celebrating the 2016 International Science Centre Day

Sir Isaac Newton was famously sitting under an apple tree, when a falling apple inspired his revolutionary theories about gravity. Today, seeds from that very same apple tree have been collected and are being sent to specially selected Science Centres and Science Museums all across the UK. There, Science Centres and Museums can grow their very own Newton's Apple Tree sharing the science and stories with school children and the public. This unique and rare event  is in celebration of the World's first UNESCO-backed International Science Centre and Science Museum Day.

 

The apple pips have been donated by National Trust’s Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, the birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton. Newton’s tree still flourishes in the orchard there and continues to inspire visitors from all across the world.

 

“Pips from the tree are currently in space on the International Space Centre, originally sent up with Tim Peake as part of his ‘Principia’ mission. They have certainly traveled far and wide!” said Jannette Warrener, Operations Manager for Woolsthorpe Manor. “I’m delighted to share apple pips with other amazing sites for science across the country and hope that the project will engage young people with the fascinating story of Newton. He truly shaped modern scientific thinking here at Woolsthorpe when he worked on his theory of gravity and also explored light and calculus.”

 

This project has been made possible through a partnership with The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC), the national charity that brings together the UK’s major science engagement organisations. Together UK Science centres and museums involve 20 million children and adults every year with science through their hands-on science programmes, schools science programmes and community activities.

 

On Thursday November 10th 2016, Science Centres and Science Museums across the world are joining forces to celebrate International Science Centres and Science Museum Day. The day, backed by UNESCO, recognises at the highest levels the huge contribution that science centres and museums make every day, on every continent, in inspiring young people and families with science.

 

The CEO of ASDC Dr Penny Fidler said "We are delighted to be able to celebrate the day by sharing Newtons's apples seeds with families and the public through the impressive network of UK science centres. As a nation and a global society we have some major challenges ahead that will take scientific creativity and entrepreneurship to solve. Science Centres and Museums are at the heart of bringing the latest science to the public across the UK and helping children and adults to get involved with science in a hands-on and inspirational way, building the skills we need to create a better world for the future."

 

Notes to Editors

  1. The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) is a national charity that brings together the UK’s major science engagement organisations to play a strategic role in the nation’s engagement with science. Within our membership are over 60 of the nation’s largest publically accessible science centres, discovery centres, science museums and scientific bodies. Together our vision is for a society where people of all backgrounds and in all parts of the UK are inspired and fully involved with the sciences. Every year in the UK, 20 million people of all ages and backgrounds choose to get involved with science at one of the UK’s science and discovery centres or science museums. This equates to 385,000 people every week who come to our member centres to explore and discuss science in an involving and personal way. ASDC leads many national strategic science programmes for families and schools, including 'Destination Space' for Tim Peake's mission www.destinationspace.uk. To find a map of all UK science centres visit here. 
  2. National Trust’s Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire is the birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton. It is where Isaac Newton saw an apple fall from a tree, split light into rainbow colours and tried to solve the system of the universe - all before he was 24 years old. The apple tree is still there and the public can visit the house, the tree and the hands-on science activities www.nationaltrust.org.uk/woolsthorpe-manor.
  3. Apple seeds from the tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton have also made an epic journey into space. Seeds from the apple tree that inspired one of the world's greatest scientists have joined British astronaut Tim Peake on his journey into space. Tim's mission was named Principia after Sir Isaac Newton's book about forces and gravity.
  4. International Science Centre and Science Museum Day is on November 10th 2016, a day backed by UNESCO and science centres around the world. This is the very first day of its type, and is celebrated on the occasion of 'World Science Day for Peace and Development' and in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The goal is to create new ways for our institutions to proactively address global sustainability while reaching increasingly diverse audiences www.iscsmd.org.
  5. Isaac Newton was born at Woolsthorpe Manor in 1642 and made many of his most important discoveries about light and gravity there, in the plague years of 1665-6. As well as his ground-breaking scientific work, Newton went on to be Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, President of the Royal Society and Master of the Royal Mint. Newton is famously quoted as saying: ‘it was an afternoon such as this - in the orchard at Woolsthorpe – that occasioned my thoughts on gravity’…..
  6. Apple trees take many years to grow. On arrival at the science centres the pips will be planted in a flowerpot and put in the fridge to simulate winter, and then in February be taken out to warmer conditions which will trigger them to grow. Not all will germinate and we are sending each centre several seeds. 

30 Science and Discovery centres and related organisations have been selected to plant Newton's Apple Seeds, they include:

  • National Space Centre Leicester

    • Science Museum, London
    • Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow
    • Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
    • Eden Project, Cornwall
    • The Royal Society, London
    • Thinktank, Birmingham Museums Trust Birmingham
    • Centre for Life, Newcastle
    • Techniquest, Cardiff
    • W5, Belfast
    • Dundee Science Centre, Dundee
    • Eureka! The National Children's Museum, Halifax
    • We The Curious (formally known as At-Bristol Science Centre), Bristol
    • Observatory Science Centre, Sussex
    • Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes
    • Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire
    • The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres, Bristol
    • Cambridge Science Centre, Cambridge
    • Aberdeen Science Centre,  Aberdeen
    • Techniquest Glyndwr, North Wales
    • Science Oxford,  Oxford
    • Winchester Science Centre, Winchester
    • The Royal Astronomical Society, London
    • STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire
    • STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire
    • Royal Observatory Greenwich, London
    • Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Edinburgh
    • Wellcome Trust,  London
    • Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute,  Cambridgeshire

                                                        Contacts

                                                        For press and information on this exciting National Project, please contact:

                                                        Dr Penny Fidler

                                                        CEO and Project Director, ASDC

                                                        0117 915 0186
                                                        07791 554 029 

                                                        Shaaron Leverment

                                                        Deputy CEO, ASDC

                                                        0117 925 9752 

                                                        Jannette Warrener

                                                        Operations Manager, National Trust

                                                        Or, Margaret Winn

                                                        Conservation Manager, National Trust

                                                        Kirsty Rogers NT press office: kirsty.rogers@nationaltrust.org.uk

                                                        Woolsthorpe Manor

                                                        Grantham, NG33 5PD

                                                        T: 01476 862 820