Or is belief the right word?
Look around you. How was the device on which you are now reading this manifesto developed? How come your chair doesn’t break? Without science and technology, we would literally be naked. Or face a hopeless battle against Covid-19. Science has taken us far — by trial and error — but in the future it will take us further than we can possibly imagine today. Prefabricated spaceships that refuel with hydrogen on autopilot, robotic tracking dogs that detect new viruses, bread that staves off hunger for weeks in a single bite, and cockroaches that absorb heat during heat waves. Never say it isn’t possible and never say you can’t do something.
But how?
We can hear you think it out loud. Well, your path, our future, the survival of the planet: everything starts with “wow”. That one spark, that sparkle in your eyes when, during one of our TikTok videos, workshops or shows, you discover that this is also science, and how science and technology give life meaning. And even better: how you can contribute to it. That’s all it takes to fan the flame inside of you, the fire that in time will erupt in boundless passion to make your mark in the world. Wanna bet that we can wow you? Or make you very quiet for a few moments when you suddenly realise “WOW, that’s science too!” or “WOW, I can do that too!”?
So don’t wait and take the future into your own hands
You can do so by sticking your nose in science books and looking for a job where you can make a difference through science. Or you can give workshops, think up the craziest things in your own garage, or show the world amazing experiments on TikTok… Even the smallest action can make a difference and WOW future generations. The superheroes, influencers or rock stars of the future will be people like you, who, quietly or loudly, in front of or behind the scenes, cautiously or pioneeringly- thinking hard or participating enthusiastically — are getting to grips with science and technology. And in doing so, who knows, they may wow new people.
And where will this never-ending journey of discovery into the future take us?
That is the eternal unknown, the big X that becomes visible in our logo when you swap the half Os. That X is inherent to science and to any voyage of discovery. You never quite know what you’re going to find and whether every mission will be successful, but that’s what makes our adventure so exciting.
So what do you think? Will you join us on the adventure of a lifetime?
You don’t even have to navigate to our mecca of science in Mechelen. You can also find us online, at the biggest and the smallest events, in schools, at expos, on TV, vlogging in research institutes and companies… Where and when you least expect it, or most likely expect it, we will do everything to wow you again and again with science and technology.