Science week this year took on a different format, with activities during lunchtime balanced by curriculum-related lessons in class, all within the theme of climate change.
The week started on Friday 6 March with students building fish tank cloud chambers using dry ice, in order to observe the usually unnoticed particles which pervade space around us. The cryogenic theme continued on Monday with demonstrations of the freezing power of liquid nitrogen.
After a presentation on how rockets actually work, our recently re-launched Rocket Society put several home-made solid-fuel model rockets through their paces, including some multistage attempts. The remaining liquid nitrogen was put to good use on Wednesday with the high-speed making of ice-cream, with chocolate chips and marshmallows included, with all donations going to our current charity, Mind.
Professor Tom Oliver of the University of Reading visited on Thursday to talk about how our own response to the climate crisis is not insignificant. The catering team wowed diners with further demonstrations using dry ice during lunchtime.
Our traditional inter-Form Egg-Drop final concluded the week in Central Hall just as the InterHouse Science Quiz final began in the Theatre, with Carey deservedly coming out on top.
In lessons, students across the years investigated plant response to soil salinity, discovered how biofuels are made, dissected rats, discovered new catalysts and engineered structures from spaghetti along with many other activities.
The themes in Science Week will continue over the weeks to come as we welcome current students to address SciSoc on the topics of how Geology can support our understanding of the current climate and how species respond to the changing climate, leading to our Spring Evening Lecture planned for 30th April on Einstein’s Revolutions in Physics.
We are very grateful to the Gerald Moore Gallery with whom we continue to collaborate closely. Earlier this year students from Science and Art curated the current Climate Crisis exhibition, choosing works to be displayed by artists from around the world, and the Gallery provided a fitting venue for talks and workshops throughout the week.
