Geek Week
August is always a fun month in this bit of Oz. It’s the time of year when the universities are out spruiking for new customers. They do this using open days where the best toys are on show to the general public. These event are held on several Sundays over August.
And then there’s National Science Week which is a festival of geekish delights most of which are free.
It started with a big bang last Saturday at the city’s cultural centre. One of the guests was a Dr Chris Smith and his Naked Scientist travelling magical show. Would have gone to see this guy anyway because he has a way of explaining the most obscure and esoteric research into terms that normal folks can understand. So just assumed it would be a bunch of talking heads talking about the uses of science
Was it ever a surprise to see tables decked with bunsen burners, test tubes, large vats of liquid nitrogen and an assortment of intriguing ingredients
There were so many bright and shiny glow in the dark liquids and big fat very noisy bangs that it was pretty much a one hour lesson on do it yourself bomb making.
Particularly impressive was the little plastic coke bottle less than quarter filled with liquid nitrogen. Chris Smith put the little red lid on the top of the bottle and put it in a big wheelie bin, closed the lid and put a blanket on top. And then just sat back and waited. Within a minute there was a big bang and the lid of the wheelie bin flew up.
Then there was the ‘nuclear’ bazooka made of pipes and powered by a vacuum cleaner that fired six rounds in quick succession, the light bulb in the microwave and the very nasty ‘electric chair’ for gherkins made with two forks.
Liquid nitrogen is such cool stuff that it is the main stay of just about every science display at the university open days. Particularly gross were the eggs poached in liquid nitrogen. The idea that an egg could cook at room temperature or lower was quite amazing. But they did look rather rubbery and inedible. The students even let volunteers stick their fingers in a big plastic container of this bubbling liquid as long as they did it quickly. Rings on fingers were a no no.
In spite of seeing bouncy rubber balls go all brittle after a nitrogen bath or how frosted flowers would just crumble into flakes, could not resist the temptation. Especially as the students doing the demonstrations would stick their own fingers in to prove they would not fall off. Mind you they were using big black padded gloves when pouring the stuff or submerging assorted objects in the liquid.
It did not feel like liquid at all. That’s apparently because the heat from a hand is sufficient to form a protective layer of gas around it literally like a glove. But the magic protective effect does not last very long.
The other favourite use for this steamy stuff is for making icecream. Some one has even started a business doing this very thing. They were offering demonstrations and teeny weeny samples of their wares on Saturday at the opening day event
Then it was time to peek at the assortment of magnets, spinning eggs and the bouncing aluminium rings before slowly slinking off to see the chemistry magic show at 3pm at the other end of the campus
In two weeks time the State Chemistry Centre will put on its own show with the usual stuff like demonstrations of clandestine meth lab busting and tours of the forensic science departments. All under strict supervision with the public kept on the other side of the glass.
At least this year there’s no need to go rushing off around 1pm in order to get to work on time for 3pm on weekends.
Next Sunday there’ll be another chance to catch those anarchic naked scientists at yet another one of those university open days
It’s guaranteed to be a lot more interesting than the pathetic pair touring the country begging for votes.
And then there’s National Science Week which is a festival of geekish delights most of which are free.
It started with a big bang last Saturday at the city’s cultural centre. One of the guests was a Dr Chris Smith and his Naked Scientist travelling magical show. Would have gone to see this guy anyway because he has a way of explaining the most obscure and esoteric research into terms that normal folks can understand. So just assumed it would be a bunch of talking heads talking about the uses of science
Was it ever a surprise to see tables decked with bunsen burners, test tubes, large vats of liquid nitrogen and an assortment of intriguing ingredients
There were so many bright and shiny glow in the dark liquids and big fat very noisy bangs that it was pretty much a one hour lesson on do it yourself bomb making.
Particularly impressive was the little plastic coke bottle less than quarter filled with liquid nitrogen. Chris Smith put the little red lid on the top of the bottle and put it in a big wheelie bin, closed the lid and put a blanket on top. And then just sat back and waited. Within a minute there was a big bang and the lid of the wheelie bin flew up.
Then there was the ‘nuclear’ bazooka made of pipes and powered by a vacuum cleaner that fired six rounds in quick succession, the light bulb in the microwave and the very nasty ‘electric chair’ for gherkins made with two forks.
Liquid nitrogen is such cool stuff that it is the main stay of just about every science display at the university open days. Particularly gross were the eggs poached in liquid nitrogen. The idea that an egg could cook at room temperature or lower was quite amazing. But they did look rather rubbery and inedible. The students even let volunteers stick their fingers in a big plastic container of this bubbling liquid as long as they did it quickly. Rings on fingers were a no no.
In spite of seeing bouncy rubber balls go all brittle after a nitrogen bath or how frosted flowers would just crumble into flakes, could not resist the temptation. Especially as the students doing the demonstrations would stick their own fingers in to prove they would not fall off. Mind you they were using big black padded gloves when pouring the stuff or submerging assorted objects in the liquid.
It did not feel like liquid at all. That’s apparently because the heat from a hand is sufficient to form a protective layer of gas around it literally like a glove. But the magic protective effect does not last very long.
The other favourite use for this steamy stuff is for making icecream. Some one has even started a business doing this very thing. They were offering demonstrations and teeny weeny samples of their wares on Saturday at the opening day event
Then it was time to peek at the assortment of magnets, spinning eggs and the bouncing aluminium rings before slowly slinking off to see the chemistry magic show at 3pm at the other end of the campus
In two weeks time the State Chemistry Centre will put on its own show with the usual stuff like demonstrations of clandestine meth lab busting and tours of the forensic science departments. All under strict supervision with the public kept on the other side of the glass.
At least this year there’s no need to go rushing off around 1pm in order to get to work on time for 3pm on weekends.
Next Sunday there’ll be another chance to catch those anarchic naked scientists at yet another one of those university open days
It’s guaranteed to be a lot more interesting than the pathetic pair touring the country begging for votes.