Have too many leftovers? No problem- use some of that food to do a science experiment!

What happens to those tasty dishes after you swallow them? Find out with this fun, easy experiment which you can do with items you probably have in your home.

There’s nothing like a homemade loaf of bread—the crispy crust, the soft interior, and the bouncy texture—but what is it that makes bread so good? Well, as we’ve learned in our previous installments of Kitchen Chemistry, it’s a hefty dose of science! Today, let’s explore the science of bread!

Learn what each ingredient adds to the recipe, and then try making our own loaf of bread, in a tasty application of science that would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table!

To take part in science, you might think that you need to study for a long time, earn a degree or two, and spend years running experiments and research projects. But science is for more than just the experts—it’s for everyone! In fact, volunteers who may not have specialized backgrounds or trainings help make a lot of career scientists’ projects possible. This group effort between professional and amateur scientists to advance research in all sorts of fields is called citizen science.

We’re excited to announce our next virtual Super Stellar Friday event on December 4, 2020 at 7 pm- The Science of Nor’easters!

Even if you’re not from the Northeast, you’ve probably heard of the classic “Nor’easter” storm- but what exactly is a Nor’easter and how do they form? Join Mount Washington Observatory’s Director of Science & Education Brian Fitzgerald, as we explore these classic storms and their associated impacts in New England and on the summit of Mount Washington.​

We’re excited to announce our topic and speaker for November’s Virtual Super Stellar Friday! On November 6 at 7:00 PM, Wallis Boram will be talking to us about invasive jumping earthworms and their role in Northeast forests. Join us for Invasion of the Jumping Worms and learn how earthworms arrived in the Northeast, what their unique life cycle involves, and how their presence influences soil characteristics.

Since the turn of the twentieth century, audiences have been amazed by the technical and artistic marvel that is motion pictures. The very first movies were live-action, but it wasn’t long until artists started bringing their drawings to life in animated shorts and films.

Let’s learn about why we see animation, how computer science plays a big part in some of your favorite movies, and how to make our own Victorian animation device, a zoetrope!

Catch up on news about upcoming events at the Discovery Center and in the world of space science with this quarter’s newsletter

As part of our efforts to showcase the work of women in the STEM, we’re highlighting a number of IF/THEN Ambassadors, women who are both contributors in their fields and advocates for the role of women in STEM.

IF/THEN is an initiative of the Lyda Hill Philanthropies to support women in STEM and help girls recognize that there are many paths to and opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We hope that learning about these amazing women inspires you to think about their work, their leadership, and the ways that you, too, can blaze a trail! Click on the occupation of any woman to learn more about her work and her STEM journey.

Back in March, we talked a little about the history of pi and saw an interesting way to calculate the mathematical constant with Buffon’s Needle Problem. Today, let’s return to everyone’s favorite irrational number with an autumnal twist—using pumpkins to explore pi!

Here in New England, autumn is a favorite season for many for a variety of reasons: the cool, crisp weather, the abundance of fall produce like apples and pumpkins (and the tasty treats made with those!), and the beautiful changing leaves. But with the changing of the seasons comes the question of why we see this change at all. So today, let’s explore why the leaves change color in the fall. Then, once we know the “why,” let’s save a little bit of fall by making fall leaf pigment prints!

We are really excited to recognize the winners of our Rube Goldberg Machine contest, Ehren E. and Rowan McClure! Both entrants rose to the challenge of creating a complex machine to accomplish the simple task of dropping a bar of soap into someone’s hands- in the spirit of Rube Goldberg, both machines creatively used items found at home to add extra steps to a basic task.

We hope you can join us for a belated 30th birthday party for the Hubble Telescope to recognize three decades of amazing images and discoveries from this space telescope! On Friday, September 25th at 11 am you will be able to make star finders, vote for your favorite Hubble image, toast the telescope with cupcakes, and take home telescope image lithographs. We will also be unveiling a banner-sized version of the 30th Anniversary Image of NGC 2014 and NGC 2020 (“Cosmic Reef”) granted by the Space Telescope Science Institute. This event, which does not include admission to the exhibit galleries or planetarium, is free; donations are welcome.

We’re excited to announce our topic and speaker for October’s Virtual Super Stellar Friday! On October 2 at 7:00 PM, Dave McDonald, M.Ed will be giving you a window into the night sky. Join us for Understanding the Night Sky and learn about patterns in the sky, how to find planets, and how stars are described.

For those who missed our latest SSF on September 4 (or if you’d like an encore presentation!), here is a recording of our presenter, Dr. Samantha Hauser, sharing her work with the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Learn how DNA analysis and conservation genetics help researchers protect a species and plan for its long-term success. You'll hear about lab methods, how conservation genetics help support endangered species, and Sam's STEM journey!

As part of our 2020 celebration of women in STEM—funded, in part, by the Association for Science & Technology Centers’ and Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ If/Then initiative—we are focusing in early September on the joys of engineering! On August 30 we premiered a video on Facebook, in which members of our Education team discuss engineering, machine basics, and how to bring STEM into your own home with materials that you already have handy.

Now we’re handing over the reigns to you, our visitors…Watch the video presentation here (in case you missed it on 8/30), then read on for details on how to submit your own entry in our 2020 Rube Goldberg Machine DIY Challenge! Three winning teams (divided by age group) will win a family membership to the Discovery Center.

On August 29, 2020, our friends at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire kicked off their Maker and Food Fest. This year, they took their annual event online, inviting engineers, artists, scientists, chefs, and makers of all kind to contribute virtually. One of these exhibitors the Children’s Museum was kind enough to invite was our Education Coordinator, Faithe Miller Lakowicz!

We’re excited to announce our topic and speaker for September’s Virtual Super Stellar Friday! On September 4 at 7:00 PM, as part of our continuing Celebration of Women in STEM, Dr. Samantha Hauser will be talking about her work with the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.

Next Sunday August 30 we’re hosting a virtual event about Rube Goldberg and simple machines, then introducing our very own Rube Goldberg Machine DIY Challenge! Click here to view event information.