The days 18, 19 and 20 MayThe bars of dozens of Spanish cities and towns will once again be filled with science thanks to Pint of Science, the international festival that has made pub bars and tables a regular venue for discussing research. For three consecutive days, establishments throughout Spain will become stages where specialists from multiple disciplines share their work with anyone who stops by for a drink.
This eleventh edition in Spain It arrives with figures that consolidate the proposal as one of the great scientific dissemination events in Europe: more than 1.300 talks and activities spread across 114 cities and municipalities, a strong boost to rural areas and new formats designed for both adult audiences and children, always in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Pint of Science: from laboratories to bars
The essence of the festival lies in Take science out of the laboratories and from major research centers to bring it to the places where people gather on a daily basis. Breweries, cafes, and pubs are transformed, for three afternoons, into meeting points between knowledge and curiosity, breaking with the idea that research can only be shared at specialized conferences.
Pint of Science was born in United Kingdom in 2013When researchers Michael Mostkin and Praveen Paul organized talks in their own laboratories to bring their work closer to people with mental health disorders, the positive impact of that experience led them to ask a simple but powerful question: if the public is willing to go to laboratories, why not take science to where people already are—in bars?
Since then, the initiative has grown to become a global phenomenonIn 2026, the festival will be held simultaneously on five continents, with 27 countries participating. Australia will be the starting point for this knowledge-sharing marathon, opening its bars to the world before the baton is passed to Europe and the rest of the globe.
In Spain, Pint of Science has been building its own community. Over its first ten editions, several events have been organized. more than 2.200 events In nearly 1.000 different bars, with the participation of more than 5.300 researchers and around 130.000 attendees, the festival has become a genuine social experience where science and leisure coexist informally.
The organization within the State is structured through the Pint of Science Spain Association for the Dissemination of Science, a non-profit organization managed entirely by volunteers. This team is responsible for coordinating cities, contacting host bars, proposing themes, seeking support, and maintaining constant dialogue with the other participating countries.
A more ambitious edition: more cities, more talks and more bars
The 2026 edition is presented as the most ambitious held to date in SpainOn May 18, 19, and 20, bars and cafes in 114 cities and towns will join the initiative with over a thousand scheduled events. A total of 1.300 researchers will participate at various venues across the country.
The festival has managed, edition after edition, to expand its territorial reach and thematic diversity. Alongside major cities, this year it is particularly reinforcing its presence in... presence in rural environmentswith 29 less populated areas joining the network of centers for the first time. This initiative aims to reduce the gap between scientific knowledge and those who live far from major urban centers.
This line of work is emphasized by the national coordination team. For Carlos Peris Torres, the festival's state coordinator, each talk in a town or small village is “an opportunity to sow interest and awaken vocations”Having a local resident explain their research makes science seem like a viable career option, rather than something reserved for distant elites.
In parallel, Pint of Science maintains a collaborative network with more than 300 research centers and universities from all over Spain. Institutions such as the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the National Museum of Natural Sciences, CIEMAT, and various public universities participate by providing speakers and projects that are then translated into talks adapted to understandable language.
This growth is also supported by a wide range of sponsoring and collaborating entitiesAt the state level, organizations such as the Pfizer Foundation, Labbox, CESIF, VHIO, Miltenyi, JJNN, Vadillo Asesores and dozens of local sponsors make it possible for the activities to remain free for the public.
Cities that fill their bars with science: from Malaga to Vigo
The Pint of Science map in Spain is becoming increasingly dense. Cities like Malaga, Vigo, Granada, Ourense or Mérida Some will return this year, while others are making their debut or consolidating their presence with their own programs and local features. All share the same central idea: to bring scientific conversations to a relaxed atmosphere.
In Malaga, the festival celebrates its eleventh edition with a program spread between two pubs in the centerMorrisey's, on Méndez Núñez Street, and Sherlock English Pub, on Molina Lario Street. During the three nights, both venues will host 12 informative talks of 20 to 30 minutes each, featuring researchers from the University of Málaga and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, among others.
The menu in Malaga combines technology, history, space exploration, biology, and the environment. At Morrisey's, for example, they will talk about “lunar regolith bells”From how computers help design new medicines to the experience of doing science in Antarctica. At Sherlock English Pub, the focus will shift to medicine, the brain, and the planet, with talks on promising hormones against Parkinson's, memory and myths surrounding autism, or how plants "know" that spring has arrived.
In Vigo, the festival has established itself since 2018 as a proposal that combines outdoor chats and in barsThis year's event features 14 presentations at Monte do Castro Park and the De Catro a Catro venue. The topics range from technology and biomedicine to chemistry and the study of the planet, with speakers such as researcher María Mayán, who will discuss cancer; Antonio Figueras, who will focus on the "superpower of the mussel"; and Saida Ortolano, who will address rare diseases.
The local coordinator for Vigo, Ara Núñez Montenegro, recalls that the city joined the festival with the idea that science “It needs to reach the public because it is financed with public funds.”He also emphasizes that the bar's environment, with its friendly atmosphere and informal tone, encourages dialogue and helps to dispel the idea that research is inaccessible or overly technical for the general public.
Ourense is also participating again, with a day concentrated on May 18th in the Café & Pop TorgalThere, six talks will be offered, covering topics as diverse as the transformation of insects into sources of protein and sustainable materials, the role of soil in the spread of antibiotic resistance, and the analysis of misogynistic discourse in social media and digital environments. During breaks, raffles will be held for materials donated by collaborating organizations.
In Mérida, the capital of Extremadura, the Jazz Bar located next to the Arch of Trajan will become the festival's venue for the three days, with afternoon sessions focused on neuroscience, physics, arts and historyThe local culture delegate highlights the "relaxed and colloquial" nature of the proposal, while the Scientific Society of Mérida, responsible for the organization in the region, emphasizes its focus on "zero kilometer science" with researchers who carry out their work in Extremadura.
Galicia and Asturias: bars, science and new headquarters
Galicia has become one of the territories with the greatest presence of the festival. In addition to Vigo and Ourense, the province of A Coruña is organizing a wide range of activities with bars involved in different towns: A Coruña, Arteixo, Boiro, Brión, Ferrol, Padrón, Santiago and Carballo are joining the proposal.
In Carballo, for example, Pint of Science will occupy the Marabú brewery, the Pazo da Cultura cafeteria, and the O Mercado cafeteria. These spaces will host events. six scientific talks They will address topics such as medicine for premature infants, artificial intelligence, autism, the recycling of valuable metals, and everyday cybersecurity. Among the speakers are chemist David Castro Reigía, the director of the Historical Archive of the University of Santiago, Desiré Domínguez Pallas, pediatrician Alejandro Ávila, and Dr. Isabel García, an autism specialist.
In the city of A Coruña, two bars will host a total of 18 talks These events will cover a range of topics, from biomedicine and economics to technology, while in Arteixo, activities are planned focusing on molecular design, computational chemistry, and biomedical applications. This network of venues allows science to move beyond university campuses and blend into the everyday lives of local residents.
Also in the northwest, Ourense is strengthening its leading role thanks to the participatory nature of its program, focused on global challenges and their social impactThe local organization, led by postdoctoral researcher Sandra Medrano, insists that science is often perceived as complex because it hasn't been explained carefully enough. The bar-like format, with shared tables and physical proximity between speakers and the audience, makes it easier to ask questions and understand complicated concepts through everyday examples.
In the north, Asturias adds new venues and formats. Mieres participates for the first time with a day of talks in the La Vida Loca cafeThe event will address topics related to forests, biodiversity, and forest fires. Researchers from the University of Oviedo and INDUROT will explain the contributions of forest ecosystems to society, debunk myths about fires, and present projects such as LIFE Fluvial, which focuses on the restoration of rivers and riverbanks.
Granada, Extremadura and the commitment to the villages
In eastern Andalusia, Granada confirms itself as one of the festival highlightsIn the capital, Pint of Science will be held at the Premier Room and the New Chicago Pub, featuring 12 talks by researchers from the University of Granada and CSIC centers. The titles of the presentations combine humor and rigor to address topics such as sexuality and consent in the digital age, the hidden corners of the universe, and the search for water on Mars.
The new approach in Granada involves bringing outreach to other municipalities in the provincesuch as Cozvíjar, Íllora, and La Herradura. The idea is to demonstrate that science is not the exclusive domain of capital cities and that it can also be part of cultural life in rural areas. In these villages, bars and cafes become impromptu forums where curiosity, questions, and tailored explanations come together.
The effort to decentralize the offerings is repeated in other communities. In Extremadura, for example, the festival is coordinated through the Mérida Scientific Society, with local volunteers organizing activities in the regional capital and other towns. The recurring philosophy is that of “zero-kilometer science”, starring researchers who develop their careers within the territory itself.
This deployment in towns and small cities responds to a clear objective: reduce the territorial gap in access to disclosureMany rural areas are usually left out of the circuits of major scientific events, which limits the possibility for their inhabitants to know firsthand what is being researched and how it may influence their daily lives.
For the festival organizers, the temporary return of scientists with roots in these areas to share their work has a powerful symbolic effect: it allows humanize the figure of the researcher and to show that behind each project there are personal journeys that, in many cases, began in those same towns.
Childhood, gender and new ways of telling science
Beyond traditional talks, Pint of Science has been incorporating in recent years new formats and audiencesOne of the most outstanding projects is Pint Kids, an initiative that seeks to awaken scientific curiosity from an early age, adapting the content to the pace and language of the youngest children.
In the 2026 edition, Pint Kids will feature 22 specific sessions in various locations across the country for children aged 3 to 18. Activities range from age-appropriate talks to hands-on workshops with simple experiments, always held in bars or cafes participating in the main festival. Unlike the adult sessions, these require prior registration to organize manageable groups and ensure a better experience.
Granada is one of the regions where this commitment to children is most clearly implemented. There, for example, the activity will take place “Science for a snack” At Cafetería Nueva Estación, researchers from the López-Neyra Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine will use card games and other activities to explain basic health science concepts such as mutations. The "Nature Detectives" workshop will also be held, in which children aged 7 to 12 will analyze bones, footprints, and other traces to formulate hypotheses like budding scientists.
Another proposal will be the “Rocket Launch Workshop” Organized by ESERO-Spain in the Science Park cafeteria, this workshop will allow families to build rocket models and learn, hands-on, how these devices work before a symbolic launch. This type of activity reinforces the idea that play and experimentation are legitimate ways to engage with science.
In cities like Vigo, events have also been scheduled. specific sessions for children within Pint Kids. In the De Catro a Catro space, activities will be organized for girls and boys between 8 and 12 years old with the aim of sparking questions about the world around them and showing them close role models in the field of research.
Alongside childhood, the organization has focused on making women scientists visibleThis year marks the debut of the national competition “Pintíficas – We’re Looking for Female Scientists,” promoted by CASIO Education and Pint of Science Spain. The initiative primarily invites primary, secondary, and high school students, though it is also open to interested adults, to research contemporary female scientists connected to the festival and develop creative projects that combine science communication and illustration.
The aim of the competition is twofold: on the one hand, to promote scientific and technological vocationsThis initiative aims to raise awareness, especially among girls and young women, and to break down gender stereotypes that still associate science with male profiles. The submitted projects will be eligible for prizes such as personalized calculators featuring illustrations of the selected female scientists, reinforcing the link between creativity, critical thinking, and STEAM disciplines.
In parallel, several studies support this strategy. Research funded by entities such as FECYT and the "la Caixa" Foundation shows that outreach activities Not only do they increase interest in science and technology, but they also have a particularly positive effect on students with lower academic performance, who see their motivation towards STEM studies reinforced.
Themes for all tastes: from space to everyday life
One of the most recognizable features of Pint of Science is the variety of topics covered in his talksThis year's program mixes current scientific issues with eye-catching questions that seek to engage the public from the title: from how plants know it's spring to whether size matters in certain physical or biological phenomena.
Among the topics that will be discussed in bars throughout Spain are the following: matter and dark energyThe conference will cover research being conducted in Antarctica, eclipses visible in our country, non-invasive archaeology using laser pulses, and new technologies applied to precision medicine. It will also address issues related to the social impact of technology, such as myths in the digital age, the sociology of social networks, and online hate speech.
In many venues, the talks have been grouped into thematic blocks which make it easier for the public to choose according to their interests: nights dedicated to "Our Body" in which Parkinson's disease or biology as the basis of medicine is discussed; sessions focused on "Planet Earth", with presentations on botany, oceanography and global change; or days under the title "From Atoms to Galaxies", where materials physics, energy for space and exploration of the cosmos are combined.
The format is usually simple: short presentations, between 20 and 30 minutes long, in a language as colloquial as possiblefollowed by an extensive question-and-answer session. The proximity to the audience—just a few meters away, usually without a lectern or raised stage—facilitates open conversations, requests for specific examples, and, if necessary, the use of napkins to sketch diagrams and clarify concepts.
In cities like Granada, Vigo, Málaga, and A Coruña, this structure has proven effective in attracting both people with scientific backgrounds and those who are simply curious. In some bars, the public returns year after year and eagerly awaits the program's publication to reserve a spot in their schedules, while in other cases, regular customers are surprised to discover that that afternoon, in addition to having a drink, they will be able to... come away with new ideas and information.
Free admission is another key element: none of the talks have an entrance fee, and the only limitation is usually the venue's capacity. This allows anyone, regardless of where they live or their level of education, to come and listen to specialists who, in other contexts, typically present their findings at conferences or in specialized journals.
All this territorial network, the activities for adults and children, the programs in cities and towns, and the diversity of topics covered have contributed to Pint of Science becoming a recognizable event on the science communication calendar. For three days, Bars become open classrooms where science is explained calmly, listened to among friends and discussed without haste, taking advantage of that relaxed atmosphere that anyone who has spent an afternoon chatting at a bar knows so well.
