in France. In the UK, most cafés are run by volunteer organisers but this varies in other countries. In the UK, most cafés do not receive any institutional or government funding; many pay the speaker's travelling expenses by asking for donations from the audience. So cafés provide the opportunity for individuals and groups to experiment with different forms of engagement – street science, comedy, music, theatrical readings, dancing, demonstration, etc. In the UK in the late 90s, COPUS, the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science (organised by the Royal Society and the British Association for the Advancement of Science), thought that the public did not understand science and needed to be better educated and lectured to. Newspapers considered it very odd that people should go to a café, drink wine and discuss science rather than just gossip. However the public were becoming more concerned about topics such as Mad Cow Disease, GM crops, cloning, etc. As the context has changed since the late 90s, Café Scientifique has responded to the move from Public Understanding through Science Communication to Public Engagement with Research. When it started Café Scientifique was considered odd and avant-garde, however the format has since been embraced by academic disciplines, government departments, research institutes, politicians, educators and policy makers. Between 2003 and 2005, Café Scientifique in the UK received grant funding from the Wellcome Trust. The Trust later supported a project to support cafés in UK schools (Junior Café Scientifique) and in schools in Uganda. Pupils were encouraged to choose the subjects they would like to discuss, and to organise, advertise and chair the cafés. There have been efforts to take cafés beyond towns and cities – to the countryside (such as Montana in the US and Cockermouth in the Lake District (UK), to islands (Corfu in Greece and Orkney in Scotland), to politically sensitive areas (Palestine) and to under-served communities (ethnic minority communities in the UK and gypsy communities in Hungary). Philosophy Although Café Scientifique is an idea rather than a particular place, the location is considered important to keep the atmosphere conversational rather than lecture-style. Cafés are relaxed, in contrast with a more formal lecture hall setting and everyone attending is given equal respect. The aim of the Café Scientifique is, according to author and neurologist Oliver Sachs "to bring science back into culture". Whereas science is often seen as boring, difficult and mathematical, the