Physics and Astronomy Open House has packed line-up Nov. 9

Fun with liquid nitrogen? Beating back gravity? Escape room challenge? It will all be there to explore at Ohio University’s Physics and Astronomy Open House on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clippinger Laboratories on the Athens campus.

The event is family friendly, free, and open to the public.

Every other year the Physics & Astronomy Department turns Clippinger Laboratories into an interactive science museum for the day where visitors enjoy hallway challenges, physics demonstrations, talks, and lab tours.

“We invite the public to join us for a day filled with fun science-related activities for all ages. We see this as a great opportunity to help people learn more about the world around them in an informal setting,” Open House organizer Dr. Mark Lucas says. “This also provides a chance for our own students to learn more about sharing the excitement and fun of science with the public.

This year’s event will feature visitor favorites like ping pong ball cannons and lab tours. Some new activities will include "Making the Invisible Visible Escape Room" challenge, "Physics of the Artificial Brain," "Living and Doing Science on the International Space Station" (11 a.m.  to 2 p.m.), and a tour and talk on "Atmospheric Physics" by Scalia Lab meteorologists.

Other talks include "Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Expanding Universe," "Through a Lens Darkly: Dark Matter and Gravitational Lensing," "Simulating Reality," and "A Cosmic Balancing Act: Exploring ways that our universe is in balance and how this makes life on Earth possible."

The Open House features hallway activities, hands-on shows, demos, and lab tours, including:

• Fun With Liquid Nitrogen
• What NOT To Do With Your Microwave
•  Levitation: Beating Back Gravity
• The Power of Air: Ping Pong Ball Cannons
•  “Sharks with Lasers on Their Heads” laser show
• Power of Air (ping pong ball cannon)
• Accelerator Lab tour, STM tour
• How to Choose a Telescope Interactive Display
• Hallway slingshot and Fire Tube

Visit Physics & Astronomy Open House for the latest event schedule, directions and parking map. For further information, contact Lucas at 740-593-1718, or email lucasm@ohio.edu .