Topic
Experience BUT at Researchers' Night: When the Kitchen Becomes a Lab
Experiments don't have to take place only in scientific laboratories. What if an ordinary kitchen could become one? During this year's Researchers' Night, visitors to the Faculty of Chemistry BUT will discover that chemistry is much closer than they think. Just take a look around your kitchen, bathroom or pantry!
Kitchen – the perfect laboratory! That is the theme of a special edition of "Chemistry at Five", where chemistry enthusiasts can enjoy a series of experiments in which everyday household items turn into fascinating chemical reactions. “Visitors to the Researchers' Night will witness something halfway between a chemistry show and an interactive lecture,” says chemist and science communicator Tomáš Opravil from the Faculty of Chemistry BUT.
The programme will feature a wide range of chemical experiments using common household ingredients as chemicals. Things you can find in your kitchen, bathroom or pantry – oil, vinegar, baking soda, eggs or baking powder. “Everyone already has a chemistry laboratory at home. Together we'll discover how to make levitating bubbles, burning ice, glowing eggs and even a sugar snake,” the chemist says with a smile. Visitors will see experiments they can safely try at home while learning what is actually happening from a chemical perspective.
“Chemistry never ceases to amaze me. There is always something new to learn, discover and, above all, understand about how the world works. Since 2000, I have also been dedicated to popularising this wonderful scientific discipline. I simply enjoy showing people how the laws of nature work in practice,” says the science communicator.
So what should every young and grown-up scientist take home from the Researchers' Night? “The awareness that chemistry is everywhere around us and that there is no reason to fear it, because life without chemistry simply wouldn't be possible. And hopefully one or two experiments they will try again at home. Maybe even by the Christmas tree, because a glowing egg is simply amazing,” Opravil concludes.
|
Researchers' Night takes place on Friday, 25 September, with all faculties and institutes of Brno University of Technology taking part. Laboratories, classrooms and research facilities will open their doors to the public, offering a programme full of experiments, interactive demonstrations and opportunities to meet scientists. More information is available on the Night of Scientists website. Come and discover how technologies that shape our everyday lives are created – and experience BUT! |
Author: Lenka Hubáčková
Invisible identification mark protects rare archival materials and art prints
Research from FCH BUT has contributed to a better understanding of cement-free concrete. The finding were also published in prestigious journals
ARGO underwater: Prototype of student submarine on display at IDET Fair
What do science and juggling have in common? Both require patience, says Vojtěch Jašek, who focuses on research in chemical recycling
Nilmore's circular clothing allows you to use the fibre repeatedly