▁authority , ▁so ▁questions ▁and ▁opinions ▁are ▁sent ▁by ▁S MS ▁onto ▁a ▁big ▁screen , ▁so ▁that ▁no ▁one ▁knows ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁the ▁comment ator . ▁In ▁Africa ▁topics ▁are ▁down - to - ear th ▁– ▁how ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁H IV , ▁avoid ▁Mal aria ▁or ▁understand ▁water ▁pur ification . and ▁emp ower ▁non - s cient ists ▁to ▁more ▁comfort ably ▁and ▁accur ately ▁assess ▁science ▁and ▁technology ▁issues , ▁particularly ▁those ▁that ▁impact ▁on ▁social ▁policy ▁making . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁C afé ▁Scient ifique ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁was ▁organ ised ▁by ▁Dun can ▁Dallas ▁in ▁Le eds ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁but ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁C afé ▁Philosoph ique ▁movement ▁which ▁the ▁phil os opher ▁Marc ▁S aut et ▁( 1 9 4 7 - 1 9 9 8 ) ▁started ▁in ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁first ▁ca fe ▁was ▁started ▁in ▁France . ▁In ▁the ▁UK , ▁most ▁c af es ▁are ▁run ▁by ▁volunte er ▁organis ers ▁but ▁this ▁var ies ▁in ▁other ▁countries . ▁In ▁the ▁UK , ▁most ▁c af es ▁do ▁not ▁receive ▁any ▁institution al ▁or ▁government ▁fund ing ; ▁many ▁pay ▁the ▁speaker ' s ▁trav elling ▁exp enses ▁by ▁asking ▁for ▁don ations ▁from ▁the ▁audience . ▁So ▁c af es ▁provide ▁the ▁opportunity ▁for ▁individuals ▁and ▁groups ▁to ▁experiment ▁with ▁different ▁forms ▁of ▁eng agement ▁– ▁street ▁science , ▁comedy