Prosthetics: Past, present, future
Run time: 15.00 – 16.00
What happened if your sword arm was smashed to pieces by a cannonball in the 1500s? For one medieval knight, the answer was to commission a mechanical arm that survives to this day.
Join Rae Gillibrand (University of Leeds) for an empowering talk that reflects on the development of prostheses from the medieval period to the modern day.
Myths about artificial limbs will be debunked, and we’ll find out how prosthetic arms and legs shape and are shaped by the people who wear them. Protheses will be explored as both functional tools and symbols of resilience, innovation and identity.
Rae will dig into the human impulse to restore and enhance our bodies using technology, drawing out connections between art, science and engineering.
Please note that this event will involve discussions of injury resulting in limb loss.
For access information and directions to this venue, and all British Science Festival venues, please click this link https://britishsciencefestival.org/british-science-festival-2025-venues
