Bradford will host Europe’s largest and longest-running science festival when it returns to the city this year after more than a century.

Hundreds of the UK’s top scientists, including some household names, and engineers will visit the city to display and discuss latest developments in science and technology.

The ‘world’s greatest living explorer’, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, will talk at the festival about the highs and lows of global exploration, while one of television’s most recognisable scientists, Professor Robert Winston, will discuss why some of mankind’s greatest innovations might have been ‘bad ideas’.

Festival director Sue Hordijenko, director of programmes at the British Science Association, said: “The festival has been going since 1831, so it is the longest-established science festival in the UK, if not Europe.”

The festival has certainly played its part in the evolution of the discipline – highlights of the early years including the coining of the term ‘scientist’ as well as the first use of the term ‘dinosaur’ in 1841; the debate on Darwinism between Huxley and Wilberforce in 1860; and the first demonstration of wireless transmission in 1894.

She said: “It used to be an opportunity for scientists of different disciplines to get together to tell each other about the work they were doing.

“But as the years have gone on, we have become much more public-facing, so it’s much more about scientists and engineers coming to talk at the festival about the different types of work and research they are doing.”

But it’s far from just talks which will make up the hundreds of events on offer in the city throughout the week of September 10 to 15.

From world land speed record attempts at Bradford College to building a brain at the University of Bradford, a huge range of exciting opportunities for children, families and adults will be on offer.

The festival has been staged in different cities almost every year since 1831, including twice in Bradford, in 1873 and 1900.

The event has been organised by the British Science Association, in partnership with the University of Bradford, and is supported by Bradford Council, Bradford College, Yorkshire Forward and the Bradford-based Space Connections Enterprises.

Sue said the aim was to give as many people as possible the opportunity to visit the festival’s content.

She said: “We are a national organisation and we believe by moving the festival to a different place it’s spreading the idea of the festival more broadly.”

The consequence of this means the festival, and the international interest it generates, will provide a spotlight under which both the city and its scientists and engineers will have the chance to shine.

Sue said: “One of the important things about our festival and what makes it unique is we also get national interest, and every year the festival has quite a strong local flavour. So we will be talking about the work going on in Bradford and West Yorkshire.”

Which, of course, is quite extensive. Not only is the university a leader in knowledge transfer, but businesses in the region have a history of and continue to pioneer the latest technological developments to keep ahead of the game.

This was a contributing factor to the city being successful in hosting this year’s event.

The festival is expected to bring about 50,000 people through the city during the week, with the opening weekend anticipated to attract some of the biggest crowds as the presenters of BBC’s Bang Goes The Theory bring their road show to St George’s Hall and Centenary Square.