Massive trees. Soaring music. Mortal panic. The feeling of being connected to something bigger than ourselves. In the past twenty years or so, scientists have been fascinated by the effects of AWE – both in our lives, and on our brains.

At the same time, humans are desperately seeking awe from every possible opportunity. From natural wonder to moral beauty, we’re all chasing that high.

Brisbane artists Counterpilot (the techno-troublemakers behind Truthmachine and Pigeon Fool) are staging a series of experiments to interrogate awe in all its forms – from the awesome, to the awful. With support from Queensland Brain Institute and other local scientists, investigators and instigators, these renegade local artists are inviting the public into their makeshift laboratory for World Science Festival Brisbane.

With slippery technical design and biometric sensors, join us as either witness or participant* as we attempt to dissect the experience of awe in a new interactive experiment.
Science-adjacent, determinedly explorative and restlessly curious, this is an experiment on artistic terms. There may be findings – or we might just get distracted by something shiny, as humans often do.

Join us in our collective quest to feel something.