Lord Mayor Councillor Christina Black has welcomed news that wildlife cameraman, presenter and Strictly winner Hamza Yassin and aerospace engineer-turned-baker Andrew Smyth are Belfast-bound alongside world-renowned astrophysicists, neuroscientists, environmentalists and more as NI Science Festival returns to celebrate the science of you, the universe and everything in between.

From flies to farts, meteorites to music, the annual festival, a celebration of all things science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), will return for a jam-packed 11 days of discovery from Thursday 16 – Sunday 26 February.

Over 200 events are planned across Northern Ireland covering everything from the natural world, our planet, and the vast expanse of space to technology, engineering, the mind and body, food and much more.

Now proud owner of the famous glitterball trophy, wildlife photographer Hamza Yassin, a familiar face on programmes including Countryfile and children’s TV show Let’s Go For A Walk, will share his passion for the natural world, combined with his love of adventure, in a talk at the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast (26 February).

In his talk, Behind the Lens, the ornithologist and conservationist will share his secrets on how to capture the best images and record footage of even the most elusive animals, offering a fascinating insight into the world of wildlife filming.

Judge of Netflix's Baking Impossible and Great British Bake Off finalist Andrew Smyth will bring his brand-new family show Bakineering to Belfast (17 February) and Derry~Londonderry (18 February). Exploring incredible engineering through edible means, the aerospace engineer-turned-baker will use interactive baking demos to showcase the engineering principles that keep us safe when travelling via road, sea or sky.

The festival welcomes John & Brenda Romero to The MAC to celebrate 30 Years of Doom (24 February), one of the most influential video games ever created. Released in 1993, the pioneering game is widely recognised for its impact on, and shaping of, the first-person shooter genre. John Romero, one of its creators, will discuss the lasting legacy of the franchise and the future of gaming.

For all the family, the good doctor from the hit CBBC children’s television series Operation Ouch, Dr Xand van Tulleken returns with another family-friendly show, Science with Dr Xand! (18 February), packed with stunts, crazy experiments and amazing facts, exploring the fascinating world of human biology. And Rude Science with Stefan Gates comes to both Belfast (25 February) and Strabane (26 February) with scientific answers to the questions everyone is too shy to ask: Why do men have nipples?

Alongside a wide selection of events taking place right across Northern Ireland, the festival will also take to the road with its Regional Roadshow visiting Limavady (16 February), Antrim (17 February), Omagh (18 February) and Armagh (19 February).

The 2023 NI Science Festival runs 16–26 February. For more information about events and bookings, visit nisciencefestival.com