Science Fair Projects

Here’s a chance to use your creativity to actually do something important and useful - Help improve the world. The PBS series, Design Squad, is holding a design contest for kids ages 5 to 19. The goal is to recycle, reuse and re-engineer everyday materials into new inventions that can either: move things or people; protect the environment; or be used for indoor or outdoor play. The grand prize is $10,000, a Dell laptop and a trip to Boston, where the show is filmed, so the winner can see their design being built. Four finalists will win Dell laptops.  The contest runs through June 30 2008. For contest rules and more information, go to http://pbskids.org/designsquad/contest/index.html

Although I usually write about good science fair projects, this story caught my interest. It’s certainly a situation you do not want happening to you.

A school science project caused fear and panic on a New York City subway train when the electronics short-circuited and began smoking.  The science project, carried inside a backpack, was a model of an elevator and contained a battery, wires and a motor.  Even though the engineering student tried to reassure his fellow passengers that it was not a bomb, people panicked and fled as he tried to disassemble the model. Police questioned and released the student, who apologized for scaring everyone.