Dublin is to be the European City of Science in 2012, a morsel of recognition at least we cheer!!! It is a great accolade to receive considering the level of competition for the title. A year-long programme of science events will be held during 2012, with the highlight being the international festival of science in June 2012, mark it in your diary now. The European City of Science is a recently introduced EU programme that sees a major European city chosen every two years, with Barcelona hosting this year’s event and Turin taking the 2010 title. The event marks a major opportunity for Ireland to showcase our achievements in science and technology and to potentially attract new foreign investment. It also represents a significant impetus for the city to improve the standing of science in the community, with talk of a “science museum” and other potential goodies in the pipeline. We wait with baited breath.