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Preparations are now under way for our annual festival of science and ideas, , which takes place in London in just one week’s time.

The show opens on Saturday 12 October for two days packed with talks, hands-on activities and demonstrations, with something for everyone regardless of your age or interests. Explore the exhibition space, where some of our most popular are back this year, including the hospital of the future – where you can try out surgical robots and virtual reality at the cutting edge of medicine – as well as the adrenaline-filled virtual rollercoaster ride. There are also brand-new experiences, involving ocean beasts, dinosaurs and more.

We have some amazing speakers joining us this year, including , , and our own columnist . Across the four main stages – Mind and Body, Universe, Our Planet and Future – you can hear talks about everything from forensics and supermassive black holes to the secrets of gravity and how to eat for better brain health.

Our Engage Stage will also be bigger and better than ever. Here, you can spot some familiar New Scientist faces, including a with hosts Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte, plus culture editor Alison Flood hosting a that will answer the important question of what the best science fiction novel of all time is.

I am excited to be hosting a stage on Monday, our dedicated schools’ day, where we open the doors to the next generation of scientists. The dedicated speaker line-up includes with live demonstrations, as well as

As usual, we will have an exclusive area and other perks for subscribers, but everyone is welcome – and if you can’t make it in person, you can also join via our live stream. I do hope to see you there.