DOWN TO A SCIENCE

Long gone are the days when science festivals were considered nerdy. With technology so entwined in our lives, we have a duty to be interested in how it all affects us — and, perhaps more pressingly, in what effects we are having on the world. Oh, and space; it’s always cool to learn about what’s going on in the universe. The 2015 World Science Festival, which lasts five days, consists of events — debates, original theatrical works, interactive explorations, musical performances, intimate salons, and major outdoor experiences — that take place in various venues around the city. From screenings like The Stanford Prison Experiment: Why Ordinary People Do Terrible Things to trivia night at the Museum of Natural History, as well as various events for children, such as “The Great Fish Count,” where you can catch, count, identify, and release fish in New York’s many waterways, the festival is a fun and brainy way to celebrate the beginning of summer. Various times and locations.

May 27-31, noon, 2015