Science rocks
Visitors made DNA bracelets, found out what skills they had with skulls and visited our inflatable planetarium! Plus Chemistry returned to May Fest 2013 with their ever-popular Thunder and Lightning demonstrations. Physics were also busking once more... and showed visitors how a ping pong ball can shoot through a metal can!
What's On
A refreshing look at DNA
Visitors learned about the importance of DNA and the genetic code... using sweets and beads.
Tree surgery
Visitors helped the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) team learn about the health of our trees and found out how they can enhance the environment.
Bubbles, bugs and biofuels
Hands-on activities showed the different steps involved in producing biofuels from wheat straw. Visitors discovered how yeast can blow up a balloon, they performed bubble-painting to produce an image similar to the internal structure of straw and they made biofuel molecules.
Skills with skullis
Visitors viewed a collection of zoology skulls - then made their own out of modelling clay and created its museum label.
Microbes and Magnification
Visitors were shown how to build a x1000 magnified paperclip and took a look at microbes under the microscope, to discover different ways of imaging them.
*Thunder & Lightning strike again!
This ever-popular show was not for the faint hearted! The mysteries of chemistry were uncovered in this ‘thunder and lightning’ demonstration on chemical energy. Chemical colours and explosions collided to create a spectacular show to enthuse and excite!
Oktokopters, robots and
x-rays: 21st Century plant science
Visitors found out more about how plant and crop scientists are using new technology to understand how plants grow, and how we can improve crops to feed the future global population.
Mind games: the Skyrim's the limit!
Visitors controlled our exciting new computer games with nothing but the power of their minds! Visitos saw how computer science is helping revolutionise personal entertainment. We hacked Skyrim so they could use a brain computer interface to cast spells merely by thinking about it!
Physics buskers
Visitors saw how to do physics tricks for themselves! They came along to see our ‘physics buskers’ in action once more, with even more tricks up their sleeves.
Sensitive Artificial Listeners
Visitors had a psychological workout with one of our emotionally-stereotyped characters. Poppy was happy and cheerful, Spike aggressive and confrontational. Obadiah was truly sad, while Prudence was pragmatism embodied.
The Biology Builders
Visitors discovered 3D printing - a new way of manufacturing complex objects and printing with living cells! Visitors designed their own tissues to be printed and had their structures related to those used in tissue engineering.
Feed the world
Visitors found out about feeding the world, and powering it, and healing it. They worked their way around a series of activities designed to give a flavour of the current research of our Biotechnology and Biological Sciences postgraduates.
Fight infectious diseases!
Visitors killed bacteria, extracted their DNA, and found out how they impact on all our lives. They designed their own bacterial superhero or villain too, plus tried out the ingenious ‘Glo-yo’ for improved hand-washing in the fight against infectious diseases.
Mystical minds
Splat the rat, hook a duck… Visitors enjoyed a funfair of activities to help us all understand the power of our minds and how our brains work.
Fizix trix
Visitors came and saw physics in action! They learned how a gherkin can glow in the dark, a ping pong ball can shoot through a metal can… and how a banana can bang in a nail!
*Bringing the stars to Nottingham: ‘Inflativerse’
Visitors watched us bring astronomy a little closer to home with our inflatable planetarium! They gained an insight into many other astronomical wonders with various shows for different age groups.
Nano science meets weaving!
Visitors made their own molecules on a huge scale from natural and recycled materials. They used model-making and ‘thought with their hands’ to learn how Mother Nature builds her structures.
Fur, feathers and fins
Visitors who like animals, science and problem-solving enjoyed an all-ages introduction to veterinary science. They found out if they had the veterinary ‘X’ factor via a series of tasks designed to test skills such as manual dexterity, sense of touch and problem-solving.
Casino Royale
Visitors tried their luck at the roulette table (no real money was involved!) and learned how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. Or they looked at fascinating mathematical exhibits, games and puzzles while chatting to staff and students.
The smallest motor in town
We have miniscule motors moving inside our cells – smaller than one ten thousandth of a millimetre! - which control muscle movement and cell division. Visitors came along as we used powerful microscopes and fluorescent dyes to see these motors and investigate the processes they control.