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The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network's full collection of do-it-yourself science activities that investigate the nanoscale - the scale of atoms and molecules! These 'Do It Yourself' Nano activities and experiments allow families to experience and learn about nanoscale science,...

The DIY Nano app (for iPhones) and DIY Nano HD (for iPads) allows families to experience and learn about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology at home or on the go! The apps provide free, easy to use, hands-on activities at...

The Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit is designed to stimulate interest, sense of relevance, and feelings of self-efficacy about chemistry among public audiences.

"Exploring the Universe: Filtered Light" demonstrates how scientists can use telescopes and other tools to capture and filter different energies of light to study the universe. Most objects in the universe are so distant from us that we can only...

Changing Colors is an interactive exhibit that shows how some high-tech nanomaterials mimic natural phenomena. Super-small, light-reflecting structures—instead of pigments—on the wings of some butterflies create intense, iridescent colors. Nanoscientists have replicated this effect with layered, super-thin films. Watch the...

The Science Museum of Minnesota surveyed 30 museum visitors after they used the Changing Colors exhibit. This formative testing of the exhibit assessed its ability to teach about nanoscale structures and the uses of nanophenomena to create new products.

This activity models the way Landsat satellites use a thermal infrared sensor to measure land surface temperatures. IR technology, like the IR thermometer in this activity, uses the infrared light emitted by an object to measure its temperature remotely (without...

In this activity, students learn about structural color while exploring interference paints. Students compare interference acrylic paints to normal acrylic paints. Students also observe how the color of the paint changes when it’s applied to different paper, or viewed from...

"Exploring Products - Liquid Crystal Displays" is a hands-on activity in which visitors investigate temperature-sensitive liquid crystal sheets and liquid crystal displays from a calculator. They learn that liquid crystals change color as a result of nanoscale shifts in the...

In this activity, museum visitors will be exposed to the term ‘Photonic Crystals’. They will see and explore some of the well-known photonic crystals in nature and will also be able observe one method that scientists use in trying to...

"Exploring Materials - Thin Films" is a hands-on activity in which visitors create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. They learn that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors. "Explore Science - Zoom...

In "Exploring the Universe: Exoplanet Transits," participants simulate one of the methods scientists use to discover planets orbiting distant stars. Even when a planet is too far away to observe directly, scientists can infer its presence by watching for slight,...

"Exploring Materials - Nano Gold" is a hands-on activity in which visitors discover that nanoparticles of gold can appear red, orange or even blue. They learn that a material can act differently when it’s nanometer-sized.

Mr. O talks about iridescence and Blue Morpho butterflies in another "O Wow" moment at the Children's Museum of Houston.

Ideas for incorporating current science, engineering, and technology content into holidays, seasons, annual events, and special events: from STEM-themed events like National Chemistry Week and Astronomy Day to holidays like Halloween and Valentine's Day!

Zoom into the natural nanostructures that manipulate light on a Blue Morpho Butterfly! Starting with a normal digital camera, we zoom into the wing of the Blue Morpho using more powerful microscopes. We see the wing underneath an optical microscope,...

"Making Molecular Movies with QSTORM" is a public presentation that details the on-going interdisciplinary research project of a group of scientists/engineers who are collaborating to make a breakthrough in biological imaging. They are trying to make movies of the molecular...

"Exploring Structures - Butterfly" is a hands-on activity in which visitors investigate how some butterfly wings get their color. They learn that some wings get their color from the nanoscale structures on the wings instead of pigments. "Explore Science -...

These pinhole projector eclipse postcards allow you to safely observe the North American Total Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017. The two sided postcard features a map of the contiguous US and what percentage of the eclipse you’ll see at...

Nanoscale science and technology ("nano" for short) is all around us and growing rapidly. Explore how nanoscale science impacts even simple, childhood pleasures like blowing bubbles.

"Exploring Nano & Society - Invisibility Cloak" is a hands-on activity in which visitors learn about refraction and how it can be used to make a glass stir rod "disappear" in a cup of baby oil. They also learn how...

Visitors will engage in activities showing various natural phenomena that scientists and engineers have emulated to address human problems. Visitors view peacock feathers at different angles to see iridescence, apply drops of water to observe the color changes, and look...

"Exploring Materials - Stained-Glass Windows" is a hands-on activity in which visitors use contact paper and colored tissue paper to create a "stained-glass" window. They learn that real stained-glass windows use nanoparticles to create some of the colors in the...

These 'Do It Yourself' Nano activities and experiments allow families to experience and learn about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology at home or on the go! They are are designed to be done in the comfort of your own home....

"Exploring Properties - Invisibility" is a hands on activity in which visitors investigate how glass objects can be "hidden" in some liquids. They learn that researchers can use nanotechnology to engineer new materials that interact with light in special ways.