u3a

Spelthorne K2

Science & Technology

A view of a robot hand and a human hand against a bright, geometric background. The aim is to illustrate design and technology
Status:Active, open to new members
Group leader:
When: On Thursday afternoons
3rd in Month
Venue: Staines Methodist Church

Do you have an enquiring mind? Do you sometimes wonder how things work and why they work the way they do? Do you feel you ought to know something about topics such as emerging technologies, climate change, space exploration and a whole range of other scientific and engineering topics?

If the answer to any of the above questions is “Yes” then the Science & Technology Group could be just the one for you. Our talks are given by experts in their field but are never too highbrow. In addition to our talks, we try to arrange three trips a year to sites that are of scientific and engineering interest. As examples, our recent trips have included the Canal Museum, Tower Bridge and the Postal Museum (see the Past Events below).

Our indoor meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month (except August) starting at 14:00 in Staines Methodist Church, Thames Street, Staines, TW18 4SD. There is a small annual membership fee of £2 plus a fee of £2 per meeting, the latter is to cover the cost of hall hire; the cost of visits varies depending on the venue.

The members of the Committee are:-

  • John Biggs - Leader
  • Helen Beecham
  • Oliver Davies
  • Alan Pugh
  • Gary Ventham

If you would like more information about the Group, please contact the Group Leader by clicking on the blue text next to "Group Leader" at the top of this page. This opens up a new screen where you can type and send your message.

The current programme is shown below.

Online Learning

The U3A host some brilliant science talks online. There are many subjects, all free!

Recent ones include: The Brain, Plate Tectonics, The James Webb Telescope and 'The Hard Science of Herbal Medicine'.

To see more details, please click on Online Learning Events.

Butterflies (Sept 2026)

Butterflies use vision and taste to determine if a plant is the correct one on which to lay their eggs which they attach by a quick drying glue. Moths are mostly nocturnal and so use radiation in the infra-red spectrum. Each plant emits its own spectrum and the moth is attuned to the particular radiation signal from the plant it seeks. It is speculated that moths lay fewer eggs during clear moonlit nights due to the interference of reflected light from the moon. Final verification is made by touching the leaf with the antenna to check for the proper scent.

For previous "quite interesting" facts, follow this link

Forthcoming Events

Past Events

Below you can find some pictures and details of a few of the group visits and talks.

Click on the blue titles for bigger pictures or more information.