Where's all this stuff heading?

Like a stream into a river into the sea; at Heathrow Terminal 5, you spot one, then another, then a few more. It is more obvious at departure gate A10 for BA flight 297 to Chicago, where it seems every third person is carrying one – a 3 foot long cylinder about the diameter of a couple of baguettes, usually black. The trick is to get on the plane early so that you can place your hand luggage overhead before these things start to jam the lockers.

Arriving at O’Hare International it is worse, most people are carrying these cylinders and by the time you arrive at the hotel you look out of place if you don’t have one slung over your shoulder – perhaps a tourist who has stumbled into the wrong town! Chicago, you see, is hosting this year's Society for Neuroscience meeting.

The cylinders are sturdy vessels that within hold rolled-up A0 sized posters depicting the research of a scientist or group. These posters are precious things, sweated over for many weeks or months. On such a limited canvas – the boards on which they will be placed are just 1.75 m x 1.11 m – you need to use the space wisely if you are to grab people’s attention and get then to stop and look at yours. You received your board number and session time when you will be expected to stand and be available to talk the interested through your work. And they survive only 4 hours before being cruelly replaced by a new one in the next session. Some posters will gather a crowd, others will be politely smiled at and walked past, a few, I’m afraid, will be largely ignored.

There are more than 15,000 posters being presented over the next 5 days and sessions run morning (8am-noon) and afternoon (1-5pm). There’s no time to waste and it all starts today.