Technopolis celebrates 15 years of promoting science
Flanders’ hands-on science centre, Technopolis, is celebrating its 15th birthday with a world record attempt and an exhibition exploring chemistry applications that power our everyday lives
A steady challenge
The sad thing about our relationship with science is that, while it’s the driving force behind nearly every form of modern technology, it’s not very visible to the end user. Consequently, the public still often thinks of science as something that doesn’t have any impact on their lives.
Science and technology centre Technopolis has made it its mission to raise awareness of and instil an appreciation for science among the general public – children and teens especially. Based in Mechelen and funded by the government of Flanders, the centre is this year celebrating its 15th birthday.
Every year, approximately 300,000 visitors pass through the doors to learn where science hides in our daily lives, often by way of hands-on experiments. By focusing on secondary school students, the government hopes to whet their appetite for science education, which in turn should result in universities and high school sending more engineers and scientists into the job market.
“During these 15 years, the inflow of students in scientific disciplines has steadily grown,” says Technopolis spokesperson Bart Vande Vyvere. “But it’s a continuing exercise to maintain their interest in science.”
That explains why Technopolis decided to celebrate its anniversary by opening a brand new exhibition, Het geheim van vuur en lijm (The Secret of Fire and Glue). The show, which runs until August, demonstrates how chemistry shapes our daily lives and how the science behind atoms and molecules can offer solutions to everyday problems.
Of makers and creators
The exhibition is divided into four themes, which are explored through sets of interactive displays. “Chemistry has many angles,” explains Vande Vyvere. “It goes from how individual molecules are built, via how a hydrogen rocket works, to what exactly are these butterflies in your stomach.”
The show focuses on chemistry as a tool for adding strength (glue is pure chemistry), a regulator of our bodies (here come the butterflies), an enabler of cosmetics (perfume and soap) and, finally, a field that keeps surprising consumers (grapheme has been called the plastic of the 21th century).
It’s a continuing exercise to maintain their interest in science
A special event associated with The Secret of Fire and Glue will take place on 5 May, when Technopolis will attempt to break the world record for the biggest chemistry lab in the world. They are amassing 838 students for the project. Hopefully, no-one will skip class that day because the current record holder, a secondary school in the UK, managed to assemble 837 pupils in 2012.
But not everything will revolve around chemistry at Technopolis this year. Next month, the centre will give the floor to “makers” – inventors, designers, builders, artists, entrepreneurs and DIYers.
Focused on adults, this Maker Festival will provide creators with the opportunity to show off their skills to the public. The festival is part of a four-day event that celebrates makers and their skills and will transform Mechelen into “Maker City”.
“It’s a unique opportunity to connect new technology with extraordinary craftsmanship,” explains Vande Vyvere. “Every discipline is allowed: from 3D printing to welding, from making bobbin lace to ironwork.”
Makers who want to show off their talents are advised to register as soon as possible, as spaces are limited.
*GPS satellites carry clocks that need to be extremely precise. Because the mass of the Earth warps space-time so that time is distorted just a tiny bit – as predicted in Einstein’s general theory of relativity – these clocks need to be adjusted.
**Every chip in every computer, laptop and smartphone in the world makes use of transistors. This tiny piece of semiconductor technology wouldn’t exist if quantum mechanics hadn’t developed in the first part of the 20th century.
Photo courtesy Technopolis
