Though the 2020 Edinburgh Science Festival was sadly cancelled in March due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Edinburgh Science team has announced a brilliant digital initiative, Elements of #EdSciFest, which is due to go live from Sat 4 Apr. The ambitious free online programme will include science videos, livestreams, downloadable activities, online challenges and more to keep everyone at home busy and entertained during this period of lockdown.

As Europe's largest science festival, expect fun, engaging and exciting content for both adults and kids alike, with the programme drawing on Edinburgh Science Festival 2020's theme of 'elementary'. The festival's five strands – Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Aether – will be explored via the digital programme, with content designed to address the biggest global environmental challenges we face.

Among the highlights are a series of short videos on a range of topics that speakers originally due to appear at the festival, alongside some new additions, have filmed for the website. Other online content includes live streamed talks from broadcaster Claudia Hammond on the importance of rest in our fast-moving world, science writer Marcus Chown on the vast complexities of the universe and Professor Ilan Kelman on how the majority of natural disasters are created or exacerbated by human choices. Dr Raj Persaud also brings back his TEDx talk and podcasts exploring themes such as seduction, pandemics and happiness, and the Very Short Introduction To... series continues online with 10 different science topics.

The festival's outdoor photography exhibition, Into the Blue, will be moving indoors and to our screens, with a new picture uploaded to Instagram everyday from the exhibition. And for kids, the festival has transformed the Dinosaur Weekend that was initially planned to take place at the Pleasance into a series of dinosaur crafts that kids can download and make at home. The Exploring Space Science series will see the National Space Academy present everything from demo videos with astronaut Tim Peake to a virtual tour of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and short videos with the team from the National Space Centre.

Amanda Tyndall, Festival and Creative Director at Edinburgh Science, said: 'Using the ancient classifications of Earth, Air, Fire and Water and Aether to explore how science can help address some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing us as individuals, societies and as a planet, we'll bring you talks, reading lists, film recommendations, curated articles, downloadable resources and a selection of 'live' events that help ensure that everyone – from kids, parents and teachers to the just generally sci-curious – can get still get some science this Easter.''

Elements of #EdSciFest will be live on sciencefestival.co.uk at 10am on Sat 4 Apr, with further events and assets to be added by Sat 11 April.

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