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Slime: A natural history Susanne Wedlich
Event details
Slime is an ambiguous thing. It exists somewhere between a solid and liquid. It inspires revulsion even while it compels our fascination. It is both a vehicle for pathogens and the strongest weapon in our immune system.
Slime exists at the interfaces of all things: between the different organs and layers in our bodies, and between the earth, water and air in the environment. It is often produced in the fatal encounter between predator and prey, and it is a vital presence in the reproductive embrace between female and male.
Most of us know little about it and yet it is the substance on which our world turns.
Susanne Wedlich leads us on a scientific journey through the 3-billion-year history of slime, from the part it played in the evolution of life on this planet to the way it might feature in the post-human future.
Along the way, she explores the cultural and emotional significance of slime, from its starring role in the horror genre to its subtle influence on Art Nouveau.
Join Susanne as she brings this most nebulous and neglected of substances to life.
This event will take place live on Zoom Webinar. You’ll receive a link to join a couple of days before the event takes place and a reminder an hour before. During the event, you can ask questions via a Q&A function, but audience cameras and microphones will remain muted throughout.
Book sales
You can buy copies of many of our speakers’ books from Fox Lane Books, a local independent bookseller and Festival partner. In some cases, author signed bookplates are available too.
About the speaker
Susanne Wedlich studied biology and political science in Munich and has worked as a writer in Boston and Singapore. She is currently a freelance science journalist for Der Spiegel, National Geographic and Spektrum der Wissenschaft. She lives in Munich.
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