A large explosion ripped through an Engineering Hall auditorium filled with local children and adults Saturday afternoon. The loud blast kicked off UW-Madison's fifth annual Science Expeditions—a day-long event aimed at introducing members of the community to the ""excitement"" of science.
""Science is Fun,"" one of three science shows held throughout the afternoon, used a series of experiments to introduce important scientific concepts to young children and parents. As colorful solutions bubbled and fog floated from the front of the auditorium, kids learned about the concepts of accurate scientific observation, communication and safety.
Along with a team of undergraduates, Mike Boll, a UW-Madison chemistry graduate student, challenged the audience to hypothesize, observe and draw conclusions as they moved quickly from experiment to experiment. Boll and others captured the attention of the approximately 100 children filling the audience for the duration of the 60-minute show.
""It's really important to get kids excited about science,"" Boll said. ""A lot of children lose interest or become discouraged by science as they get older.""
At the end of the show, 6-year-old Emmitt Whitlock proclaimed, ""This was the best show ever.""
Emmitt's mother, Erica Whitlock, agreed.
""The students [did] an awesome job of touching upon all levels of understanding,"" she said. ""They [were] able to appeal to young kids by teaching concepts that are common yet complex.""
After the show, parents and children roamed the hallways of the Engineering Hall and Centers buildings where approximately 40 booths welcomed children to participate in hands-on learning in diverse areas of science.
UW-Madison scientists and students used everything from art supplies and kitchen chemicals to complex laboratory and medical equipment to teach children about their areas of expertise.
Colorful pipe cleaner served as a lesson in the structure of neurons, and plastic cups filled with cabbage juice became the center of fizzy chemical reactions. While some kids delighted in the free samples of jellybeans at the food science booth, others learned how to feed stem cells.
Renee Meiller, an event organizer, explained that the variety of science available at Science Expeditions was designed to provide something of interest to all participants.
""The goal of Science Expeditions is to open the university doors to the public so that we can share the great science coming out of our university with those that might not normally have access to it,"" Meiller said.
