Presentations and debates on the leading scientific questions of the day, from research into stem cells to the challenge of climate change, are planned for the ESOF2008 Scientific Programme. 'There will be events covering ideas from across the science spectrum, bringing together different disciplines and highlighting cutting-edge issues and research in Europe and the world', explains Sir Colin Berry, Chairman of the Programme Committee.

ESOF2008 will have ten 'Themes':

• The human mind and behaviour

• The very big and the very small

• Maintaining an open society through science

• Engineering the body

• What should we eat and what we should look like"

• Enhancing energy security; fighting global warming

• Science policy

• Science and art

• Demography in an ageing Europe

• Screening: burdens and benefits

Proposals to present leading scientific and technology issues and dynamic public outreach activities are invited by the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) for its third prestigious event to be hosted by Barcelona on 18 to 22 July 2008. Around 5,000 participants and many more members of the public are expected to attend.