Ingenuity occurs when technology and creativity intersect. On Saturday, April 28, Bowling Green’s Circus Square Park will be such a crossroads, bustling with a celebration of artistry and science.
SKy Science Festival’s 2018 Expo Day is free and open to all. There is no charge for admission to the Expo, which includes dozens of activity tents, the demonstration stage, music, and many delights that will be wandering Circus Square Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When asked about who should attend SKy Science Festival’s 2018 Expo Day, Planetarium Coordinator Ronn Kistler promptly responded with a grin – “Everyone! There are no barriers to sharing the thrill of science. SKySci Fest was founded so all people can realize that science and technology are really just a walk in the park.”
The 2018 SKy Science Festival Expo Day has returned as a springtime carnival, scheduled around Earth Day and Arbor Day. Dr. Michael Carini, WKU department head of physics and astronomy, predicts, “This year’s festival should be even better than the August 2017 Pre-Eclipse Festival, which attracted over 3,500 people with hands-on science activities and free solar viewers to safely enjoy the eclipse.”
Dozens of exhibitors will be sharing their engaging activities, challenges, exhibits, and games. Bowling Green’s Lost River Cave Nature Center and Louisville’s Kentucky Science Center will each have multiple activities to engage the young and the young at heart. Participants can explore electricity with the Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (WRECC), sustainable gardening will be shared by Project Grow, and simulated home fires with the Bowling Green Fire Department. Kentucky Thermal Imaging, Inc. will have special video cameras that let attendees explore otherwise invisible light given off by all objects.
Even when pushed, Kistler could not choose a favorite event. “All of the SKy Science Festival events are designed to inspire and excite, to share the wonders that discovery brings to our lives.”
Curious visitors can explore the wonders of the natural world through interactions with different activities. The Western Kentucky Raptor Center will have a number of owls and hawks for visitors to interact with. An observation hive brought to the festival by members of the Warren County Beekeepers will provide the opportunity to see how bees organize their home lives.
Because this year is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a number of student science clubs will be presenting activities tied to themes from the classic story. What is life? Why do we create? How can scientists be responsible with our innovations? These questions were raised by Mary Shelley two centuries ago yet are still with us as we delve into emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and genetic engineering. There will be opportunities to experiment with electricity, to explore the communication between our cells, to view bioluminescent microscopic organisms, and to create simulated aspects of life.
On the SKySci Fest Demonstration Stage, Ion Jones and the Lost Castle of Chemistry is the headline act, with a dozen other performances throughout the day. The theatrical program from Louisville’s Kentucky Science Center will captivate audiences with flashy, bold examples of chemical reactions and the transitions matter can undergo.
“Science is an art, and art is a science,” said Dr. Carini. “Engaging with creative, innovative exploration is the foundation of both scientific research and artistic projects.”