Exhibits

Orlando Science Center's exhibit halls feature a vast array of exciting interactive experiences! Learning has never been so fun with these hands on educational exhibits. From down to earth explorations in natural science to the high-tech world of simulation technology, everywhere you look, you'll find educational and entertaining opportunities to explore, experiment, and discover.

Traveling Exhibits

The Orlando Science Center is home to some of the most exciting traveling exhibits in the country. Upcoming traveling exhibits at the Science Center include Blue Man Group – Making Waves and Adventures With Clifford: The Big Red Dog. When these exhibits are in town they are only here for a limited time; so don’t miss the opportunity to see them!

Exhibit Halls

As great as our traveling exhibits are, there are some exhibits that are the staple of the Orlando Science Center. NatureWorks will have you up close and personal with some of nature’s most fascinating reptiles. At DinoDigs, you’ll step back into the prehistoric age. Discover the dynamic forces and systems that shape our Earth, as well as other planets in Our Planet, Our Universe. Explore such concepts as electricity and magnetism, lasers, soundwaves, and nature’s forces in Science Park. No visit to the Science Center is complete without a trip to KidsTown, an interactive world dedicated to our smaller explorers.

Science Live! Programs

What’s the difference between a great visit to a Science Center and a memorable visit? Live programs. Our exhibits are designed to inspire curiosity and exploration, our Science Live! programs are designed to bring the exhibits to life. Whether it’s a show in the Digital Adventure Theater or a one-to-one interaction with a volunteer at the Crosby Observatory, our live programs create the kind of impact that can last a lifetime.

Science Stations

Looking for little more “hard science” in your next Science Center visit? Look no further than the Science Stations located throughout the facility. Science Stations are a cross between exhibits and live programs in that they’re exhibits that typically include a live program to truly bring the experience to life. Science Stations provide an in-depth look at their respective subject matter in an entertaining way. Be sure to check your program schedule to see which Science Stations are conducting demonstrations on the day of your next visit.

Crosby Observatory

The aluminum-domed Crosby Observatory atop Orlando Science Center houses Florida's largest publicly accessible refractor telescope. This one-of-a-kind custom-built telescope, along with several smaller scopes, are available at selected times for solar and night sky viewing.

MESSENGER Makes It!

08 April 2011
Posted in Our Planet, Our Universe

Mecury_Messenger_Pic_1

On August 3, 2004 NASA launched the MESSENGER discovery mission, an unmanned spacecraft set to send back pictures of the entire planet of Mercury. This mission is monumental because this is the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury and the first pictures of Mercury we will have from a spacecraft since Mariner 10 in 1974. The magnetic pull of the sun coupled with the intense heat have made it very difficult to obtain any images of the sunny side of Mercury. Until now we have only had recorded images of 45 percent of the planet‘s surface. Scientists researched and found the best way around this dilemma is through the inner solar system.

When MESSENGER launched from Earth in 2004 it began an eight year path into Mercury’s orbit. First it flew by Earth once, then by Venus twice, and took a flyby of Mercury. In 2008 the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) craft made its initial approach and took pictures of regions of Mercury that have never been seen before by the human eye. Last month on March 17, 2011 the MESSENGER craft successfully entered the orbit of Mercury. On March 29th we got the first pictures back of Mercury from orbit and they are spectacular! The MESSENGER mission will continue collecting data for another year.

Scientists hope that from this mission we will gain more insight into the mysteries of Mercury including its geologic features, its core and density, its thin atmosphere yet presence of a magnetic field, the unusual materials at the poles, and possibly clues to the evolution of the solar system itself.

Mercury_Messenger_Pic_2

Find out more about Mercury and the other planets in our solar system by visiting The Orlando Science Center and exploring our permanent exhibit on astronomy and Earth Science, Our Planet, Our Universe.

Two articles from National Geographic Website:

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/14/nasa_mercury_messenger_enter_orbit/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110330-messenger-mercury-from-orbit-nasa-space-first-pictures-science/?source=link_tw20110330news-mercury

Keep up with The MESSENGER:

http://messenger.jhuapl.edu

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/

Energize Video game

06 April 2011
Posted in Science Park

Here's a great spotlight on the Energize Video Game we helped develop!

A black and white story

29 March 2011
Posted in Science Park

Wondering why you always feel hotter when wearing black instead of a light color? Try this experiment to prove that there are valid reasons for this to occur. This experiment looks at different types of colors reacting to the sun and which one will generate and capture more heat. Check it out!

What You Will Need:

2 Identical Drinking Glasses or Jars
Water
Thermometer
2 Elastic Bands
White Paper
Black Paper

Instructions:

Wrap the white paper around one of the glasses using an elastic band or sellotape to hold it on.
Do the same with the black paper and the other glass
Fill the glass with the exact same amount of water
Leave the glasses out in the sun for a couple of hours before returning to measure the temperature of the water in each.

What is Happening?

Dark surfaces such as the black paper absorb more light and the heat than the lighter one such as the white paper. After measuring the temperatures of the water, the glass with the black paper around it should be hotter than the other. Lighter surfaces reflect more light, that’s why people with lighter colored clothes in the summer keep cooler.

Dino Croc Discovered!

31 March 2011
Posted in DinoDigs

If you find normal crocodiles to be a little frightening check out the jaws on this guy!

Pepesuchus deiseae is a newly discovered crocodyliform, a group that includes modern-day alligators, which lived during the late Cretaceous period, between 99 million to 65 million year ago. The fossil skull was found at a site called Sao Paulo in Brazil by paleontologists from the Brazilian National Museum. It can currently be found in the Federal University of Rio de Janerio’s National Museum with other fossils that were discovered In Brazil.

Croc

Cell Phones on the Brain

25 March 2011
Posted in Science Park

Did you know that talking on a cell phone for a prolonged period might actually increase brain activity? Cell phones emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation and scientists are on a mission to figure out what effects this can have on the brain.

According to Science News, a recent experiment took place where 47 participants had two cell phones strapped against each ear. The phone on the left ear was turned off and the phone on the right ear played a 50-minute message, but was set to silent. Their goal was to study brain activity from the phone itself, not brain activity from listening and engaging in conversation. Scientist used a PET (positron emission tomography) Scan to study the brain activity. The test allows us to see what is going on inside of the body using injections of radioactive material to measure chemical reactions in the brain and creating three-dimensional pictures.

The results of the PET scan showed that the left side of the brain had no changes from the experiment. Conversely, the right side of the brain was using large amounts of glucose, almost as much as a person talking. Glucose is a sugar that provides fuel to the brain. These results allow scientists to conclude that brain cells are active even when the participants hearing nothing. The activity was most likely set-off by the radiation from the cell phone.

The experiment arose from the question “Are there any health risks involve with cell phone usage?” There is still considerable debate, but scientists who believe there are give a few suggestions to be on the safe side:

Do not talk for long periods of time with a cell phone pressed against your head.
Keep your conversations short and sweet or use speakerphone.