In this activity, learners make a voltaic pile, the first kind of battery. The activity is designed to prompt conversation and reflection about responsible innovation, inspired by themes raised in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein.
"DNA Nanotechnology" is a facilitated, hands-on activity exploring deoxyribonucleic acid, a nanoscale structure that occurs in nature. Visitors extract a sample of DNA from split peas and put it in an Eppendorf tube to take home. They learn that nanoscientists...
This is a large group version of the Surface Area program. In this interactive stage presentation, audience members are measured in nanometers and demonstrate the effectiveness of "nano" silver in killing germs. Other highlights include a fireball that starts and...
The Building with Biology kit is designed to help museum and scientist partners engage public audiences in conversations and hands-on activities about the field of synthetic biology and the ways this emerging technology is interconnected with society.
Nano Future Tellers are origami-folded, interactive pocket game to educate visitors ages 7-12 about future nano products! Everyone's favorite fortune telling game brings potential future nano products to life!
"Exploring Earth: Investigating Clouds" is a hands-on activity in which visitors create a cloud in a bottle and explore it with laser light. The activity is connected to current and ongoing NASA mission research. Participants learn about ways that NASA...
This cart demonstration introduces the nanomaterial aerogel, a glass nanofoam. Visitors learn how aerogel is made, how well it insulates, and learn about its other unique properties. They see real aerogel and feel how well it insulates.
"Exploring Nano & Society - Tippy Table: is an open-ended conversational experience in which visitors have additional blocks to place on the tippy table component of the Nano Mini-Exhibition. Conversations around where visitors place these new blocks lead them to...
Like all new technologies, nanotechnology has costs, risks, and benefits we cannot always predict. The Would You Buy That? stage presentation examines and explores ways our consumer behavior both impacts and is impacted by new technology. By looking at historical...
In "Exploring the Solar System: Stomp Rockets," participants learn about how some rockets carry science tools—not scientists—into space, and how a special kind of rocket called "sounding rockets" can be used for quick, low-flying scientific missions into space. Participants will...
"Lotus Leaf Effect" is a cart demo that demonstrates how nature inspires nanotechnology by sharing how nanoscale features on a surface can influence how a material behaves at the macroscale. Visitors learn that lotus leaves (and many other plant leaves)...
"Invisible Sunblock" is a hands-on activity exploring how nano-scale particles are used in mineral sunblocks to increase their transparency. Visitors compare nano and non-nano sunblocks to a visual representation of the effect of particle size on visibility.
In this Building with Biology activity, visitors consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of various areas of synthetic biology research, before investing in them with "tech tokens." Then, visitors assume the role of a different character, and consider how that...
"Nanotube Balloons" is a large display made of balloons that can be used to draw visitors to a program on nanotechnology. Visitors observe how the carbon atoms are arranged in a carbon nanotube. The nanotube balloon model can be pre-constructed...
NanoBuzz is a web-based kiosk featuring exhibit-ready access to current nanoscale science, technology and engineering and emerging research in the news. Website includes four online puzzle games: Help assemble the carbon nanotubes, Help filter the water, Try to find the...
This 7-minute video was developed as part of the Building with Biology project and is designed to help create conversations in museums among scientists and public audiences about the emerging field of synthetic biology and its societal implications.
Initially developed by the New York Hall of Science to establish a partnership with a local Boys and Girls Club, this four-week After School Framework designed for children between the ages of 8 to 12 highlights NISE Net activities, demos...
In collaboration with NASA, the NISE Network has assembled a set of engaging, hands-on Earth and space science experiences with connections to science, technology, and society.
Visitors will learn how nanotechnology is being used to create new types of protective fabrics. The classic experiment "Oobleck" is used to demonstrate how scientists are using similar techniques to recreate this phenomenon in flexible fabrics.
The "Exploring the Solar System: Magnetic Fields" activity shows participants how scientists can use tools to study the invisible magnetic fields of Earth, the Sun, and other objects in the universe. Participants can see how the Sun's magnetic field extends...
"Forms of Carbon" is a cart demo that demonstrates how the nanoscale arrangement of atoms dramatically impacts a material’s macroscale behavior. Visitors learn about the structure and properties of four different forms of carbon. During the program, visitors interact with...
In this hands-on activity, visitors explore the structure of seashells and learn that seashells are a composite material made of both inorganic and organic materials. Visitors compare the mechanical properties of plaster bricks and dried sheets of glue, which helps...
This is a hands-on activity in which visitors learn about the fundamental component of biology and synthetic engineering: DNA. In the activity, visitors will extract visible DNA from wheat germ, and create necklaces to display their own sample of wheat...
"Magic Sand" is a cart demo that demonstrates how changing nanoscale changes in a material can affect how that material behaves at the macroscale. Visitors learn that hydrophobic surfaces repel water and that "magic" sand repels water because of a...
The NISE Network has created a website for public audiences featuring links to videos, audio material, podcasts, games, DIY activities, and NanoDays information for the public. The site also features information about the Nano mini-exhibition including audio description files in...