On Saturday 27th May 2023, a workshop for parents with their children took place at our Institute within the framework of the Strategy AV21. It was possible to visit two work groups (Research Group of Algal and Microbial Biotechnology and Research Group of Multiphase Reactors). Visitors could attend three stations with the possibility of trying out a number of experiments by their own hands.
At the first place, the visitors learned how algae and cyanobacteria are grown in the laboratory and were able to see the photobioreactors. They also studied algae and cyanobacteria under the microscope and tried to inoculate a selected algae species on a growth medium. Finally, it was their turn to taste spirulina – this edible cyanobacterium species could serve as a relatively easy-to-grow protein source for human nutrition.
At the second place, children could learn why bubbles and foams are important for us. Two simple experiments were on the agenda where children prepared foam using bubbles. In the first case, the bubbles freely escaped and the foam quickly break down. In the second case, the foam was stabilized by the addition of surfactant, creating a kind of volcano. Next, the children tried to colour the liquid in the reactor and measured how the bubbles affect the mixing of the liquid.
At the last place, the visitors learned why larger pieces in a bulk mixture (for example, big nuts in muesli) end up on top after shaking thoroughly several times. Then they learned why an hourglass is filled with water instead of loose sand. Last but not least, the children were able to see what would happen to buildings, waste channels or cars during an earthquake. They saw that sand behaves like water and all heavy things sinks to the bottom and all light things rises to the top.
