Tom will be speaking at 2 events at the 2023 Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. Tickets are available for FREE by clicking on the event titles below.

Pokémaths: the numbers behind the video game

7pm Wednesday 11th October, New Road Baptist Church, Oxford

How many Pikachus does it take to power a lightbulb? How much does a Charizard eat? And why does the world of Pokémon seem to ignore the basic laws of physics? Dr Tom Crawford looks at the maths one of the world’s favourite video games.

Suitable for teenagers and adults.

Improbable research: scientific answers to ridiculous questions

8:30pm Tuesday 17th October, The Bullingdon, Oxford

The Ig Nobel Prizes are awarded annually to celebrate unusual and seemingly trivial achievements in scientific research. Tonight, Dr Tom Crawford shares some of his favourites – from constipated scorpions to obese politicians – and delves deeper into the comedic world of ‘award-winning’ research.

Suitable for teenagers and adults.