17th Bright Sparks
ONLINE TICKET SALES ARE NOW CLOSED. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR – Avoid lunchtime to be sure of immediate entry.
A weekend of science fun for kids aged 7-14 and their parents. This is about the only time of year when parents and their children get to share science. We expect about 1000 visitors per day; Live sheep, creepy crawlies, elite athleticism, bubbles, energy and giant drawing machines are amongst the hands-on activities on Saturday and Sunday. Check listings for differences between the days. Under 7′s also welcome.
Sunday 17 February
10am-5pm Hove Park Upper School, Nevill Road, Hove, BN3 7BN
Tickets: £4 for 7-14, £6 for 15+, £16 for family ticket ( 2 adults, 2 children). Available online or on the door. Advanced booking recommended. FREE for under 7′s. Compass and Carers Card holders are FREE (presentation of card required)
ONLINE TICKET SALES ARE NOW CLOSED. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR – Avoid lunchtime to be sure of immediate entry.
Mind Mistakes, Magic and Medical Machines
Human brains – good at some things, bad at others. Fun with human error, magic tricks, and how psychology and computer science can save lives.
Dig It
South Downs National Park come with a range of hands-on activities for all ages – from a mock archaeological dig to identifying mysterious objects by feel alone.
Bloodhound Cars
Join the Bloodhound Supersonic Car team to learn more about their record attempts, then make your own balloon car.
Making Plaster Decorations
Simple mould making workshop with plaster of Paris. Let the Regency Town House experts show you how, using the skills they employ restoring the property in Brunswick Square to its 19th century glory.
Lifting the Lid on Every Day Technology
What actually happens inside your computer? Take a look with this interactive demonstration, then try your hand at some software programming of your own.
POP: the Sound of Bubbles
The National Physical Laboratory brings the science of bubbles to life in an astonishing exhibit fresh from the Royal Society Summer Exhibition. Create sound using bubbles, create bubbles using sound and use the sound of bubbles in medicine.
Flywheels
Take on Ricardo’s Kinergy Flywheel Challenge. See how much energy you can store in the hybrid drive flywheel and explore the future of low carbon transport, engineering and clean energy.
Light Fantastic
Explore different aspects of how light works – with practical experiments for parents and children to explore the light spectrum – with rainbows solar panels, night vision cameras, ultraviolet light and optical fibres.
Spectrometers
Spectrometers are one of the most important tools in astrophysics. They can tell us the ingredients of stars trillions of miles away. Learn how to build one with just a handful of household objects, and investigate a range of mystery gases and invisible radiation.
Pole Lathes
Before electricity, man-powered lathes were used to make everyday items. Modern pole-lathe turners demonstrate their skills with a mix of old and new technology.
Jumping Beans workshop
45 minute workshops making Jumping Beans and using them to do experiments to explore friction, gravity and momentum. With Sue Brumpton – the Making Place.
Reptiles and Amphibians
The East Sussex Reptile and Amphibian Society have a passion for keeping corn snake, royal pythons, boa constrictors, monitor lizards, etc. The enthusiasts share their knowledge and experiences of these fascinating creatures with you fascinated humans.
Arctic Turn
Meet the RSPB and investigate the impact of climate change on UK native species and rising sea levels on the Sussex coast.
Body Extremes
Humans have colonised more environments than any other species on Earth, and our bodies can adapt to a remarkable range of conditions. Explore your body’s reactions to changes in heat and cold using grip tests and a BioHarness.
Edible Geology
Geology rocks … more like geology wobbles! Use jelly and science to explore and illustrate the effect of tectonic plates in shaping the world you see.
The Incredible Machine
Build a daft machine with levers and pulleys, string and weights, to send a signal round the room. The incredible machine builds up during the day, becoming incredibler and incredibler.
Giant Drawing Machines
You can create a minature self portrait on a postcard or create massive spirograph patterns using a bicycle … if it’s Nick Sayers’ specially doctored cyber-bicycle.
Cracking Ideas
From rocket launching to deep space design, the Cracking Ideas space competition needs your ideas.
Bugs, Beasties and Landscapes from Our Biosphere
The exhibition shows creatures from our city’s green spaces and the landscapes that make our biosphere so special. Talk to Brighton & Hove Rangers, and have your say on our biosphere proposals. From Brighton & Hove Wildlife Forum.
Road Safety
Road Safety invite you to look at how technology affects driving – and with University of Brighton Product Design/Fashion students projects what applied science could help us in the future on the roads.
DNA Damage Repair
The Medical Research council teach you what goes on inside your body, and explain with lots of activities how DNA works and can be damaged..find out how DNA can be mis-repaired and how scientists interfere with this to improve radiotherapy.
Animal Operation
To be a vet you have to learn some skills which are useful everywhere, such as an ability to feel things that are out of sight beneath the skin. ‘Palpation’ is the technical term. The Royal Veterinary College lets you try this, among other things.
Spaceball
Test yourself under some serious G-Force on the stomach-churning gyroscope ride.
Separate charge.
Funky Fibre Felt Fun
Make colourful and original felt bracelets from the wool of the beautiful sheep, with experts from the East Sussex Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers.
City Books
Full range of popular science books for young and old.
