This edition is all about language. InScience explores the possibilities of AI and language, researches the evolution of gestures, learns about stuttering during the Stutter Hour, and laughs about 'steenkolen' English with TikTok phenomenon Double Dutch. As theme guests, 'conlangers' David & Jessie Peterson hold this year's Big Ideas lecture and will be interviewed by Radboud University scientist Marc van Oostendorp. They create languages for series and movies, such as this spring's blockbuster, Dune: Part Two. How do they give meaning to a made-up language?
Radboud University is a partner of the festival, and several of our researchers can be found in and around Lux. A selection:
Turing or not turing
Talk / MARCH 16 / 13:00-14:00 / Huis van de Nijmeegse geschiedenis
Language: Dutch
Since the rise of ChatGPT, it has been a common problem: how do you recognize an authentic man-made text? AI is also being unleashed on audio: how do you unmask a fake voice message?
In light of the developments in the field of artificial intelligence, together with Iris Hendrickx and Suzan Verberne, we examine where humans still differ substantially from computers when it comes to language.
Arrival
Film + talk / MARCH 14 / 18:45-21:15 / LUX 1
Language talk: Dutch
In the movie Arrival, alien ships arrive on Earth. Do they come in peace? A linguist is summoned by the military to make contact with the aliens.
If anyone can decipher unknown languages it is Peruvian linguist and "hyperpolyglot" Luis Miguel Rojas Berscia - who once spoke 18 languages but then stopped counting. Everywhere he goes, he researches the grammar and structures of the local language and writes them down so they don't get lost. After Arrival, Rojas Berscia explains how he does that and to what extent languages affect how you see the world.
Double Dutch: InScience Special
Talk / MARCH 16 / 19:30-20:30 / LUX 6
Language: English
Comedian Derek Scott Mitchell (aka @DoubleDutch on TikTok and Instagram) is well known for his online videos in which he parodies Dutch people, using their own iconic ‘steenkolen’ English accent. In this program, we will dive deeply into learning languages whilst capturing colloquials and the culture of its speakers at the same time.
In this one-time special, Double Dutch will not only be accompanied by his wigs for some sketches, but also by language expert Kristin Lemhöfer who will tell us all about multilinguism and the brain.
The Universal Theory
Film + talk / MARCH 16 / 21:45-00:15 / LUX 1
Language talk: English
A congress for physicists, in the Alps, 1962. An exciting quantum mechanical thriller, performed like a film noir - with shadows deep black and cigarette smoke silver brilliant.
Quantum mechanics. Next to rocket science, probably the most stereotypically difficult science matter. We have found Sharmila Gunasekaran Gnanam willing to try and give their best shot at explaining to the general audience the idea behind parallel universes. Welcome to quantum mechanical theory for dummies.
Find the full program here. Ticket sales started on Feb. 15. Radboud University students and employees can get a discount of 4.50 euros per ticket with the code INSC2024@LUX!