Talk of the Town: Science of booze? We'll drink to that

YOU can always rely on the Science Festival to enlighten and entertain, and what better way to tempt people over the threshold of an educational session than to title it "The Science of Wine and Cocktails"?

Miles Thomas, Andrea Sella and Richard Wiseman will explore the way our brains respond to alcohol during the session at the Botanics on April 13. What we want to know is, can you get a PhD in it?

Photo contest to find the city's top local, bar none

EVERYONE loves their local pub and it is fair to say that Edinburgh has more than a few.

Now Capital residents have been given a chance to show off just what it is about their dingy drinking den that makes it so special, whether it's the worn-down but incredibly comfy old chairs, the vintage games machine or just the gleaming wooden bar itself in a photo competition.

The British Beer & Pub Association has launched a nationwide campaign to highlight the plight of local pubs and celebrate their importance to the British community. Entries should be submitted to [email protected].

Simply the breast

IT'S not quite The X Factor, but a city student's 28H assets have helped her to reach the top 30 of the UK-wide Star in a Bra competition.

Jane Blackhall, who was whittled down from more than 400 entrants, is in the race to become the new face and body of lingerie brand Curvy Kate.

Curvy Kate launched the Star in a Bra competition in 2008 after receiving regular requests from curvy women who wanted to see how various lingerie ranges would look on a fuller figure.

Marketing manager Hannah Houston said: "We want our customers to feel that they are being catered for and that being above a D cup and curvy is something to be proud of."

She's on the right road

TEENAGE rugby star George Turner, of Stewart's Melville, is not the only family member on the move after gaining a prestigious Macphail scholarship, enabling him to spend the summer playing in New Zealand.

Mum Jennifer, a self-confessed quiz "addict", is participating in a Channel 4 programme involving a team of "pointy heads" travelling around Scotland in a camper van and taking part in pub events.

Mrs Turner, from Murrayfield, has considerable form in the quiz world as she was a former contestant on the Weakest Link and won 10,000 on the Postcode Challenge.