Did You TryScience Around the World Yet?

The Seymour Center is pleased that its new exhibit, "TryScience Around the World" is definitely a crowd pleaser. The TryScience kiosk offers thematic interactive experiences and adventures in a wide variety of scientific fields for visitors of all ages, and in nine different languages. Now anyone can explore, discover, and have a great time while learning with our new TryScience exhibit. Come check it out for yourself. As you can see, it's fascinating for everyone!

TryScience is a collaboration of IBM, the New York Hall of Science and the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC). Check out www.tryscience.org for more information.

Looking

The first thing a scientist does is observe. They inspect things carefully; they measure, weigh, and count; and they record what they see. Observation involves looking closely and very carefully. Researchers ask, "What’s it like?" "How can I describe it?" Observation includes senses other than sight, including hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Scientists count things and measure size, weight, temperature, speed, and the like. They notice variables such as the time of day, tides, season, weather, and position. The use of tools extend a scientist’s senses.

Enter the looking pod and learn about the kinds of "hands-off" studies that take place in the field. These are different from laboratory or controlled fieldwork studies. Use your different senses to observe the way a scientist does.

DR. BURNEY LEBOEUF - Elephant Seal Field Studies

Elephant seals have fascinated scientists ever since they made a successful comeback from the brink of extinction. Dr. LeBoeuf has studied elephant seal behavior for many years to learn about reproductive behavior, parenting methods, and diving and feeding habits.

Turn the wheel at this exhibit and see what the seals are doing out at Año Nuevo Island at different times of the year. Observe elephant seal behaviors and predict what they are up to.

DR. GARY GRIGGS - Coastal Geologic Processes

Studying coastal processes involves looking at the same parts of the coast over time and across many seasons to see how it changes. Dr. Griggs studies of coastal cliffs and beaches to visualize, measure, and document erosion. Comparing views of older photos to new ones, and summer photos to winter ones, this exhibit shows what’s happening along our coast.

Peer through a stereoscope viewer for a 3D view of our coastline. See how our coastline has changed over the past 100 years. Compare then-and-now photographs of crumbling cliffs at Natural Bridges and Wilder Ranch.

DR. JOHN PEARSE - Tidepool Ecology: Long-term Observations

John Pearse has studied life in the intertidal for more than 25 years, returning to the same locations to document how they change—or don’t change—over time. Each visit involves the same routine of observation. He uses a transect grid to count and record the plants and animals present.

Can you see the differences or similarities between two tidepools?

Exhibits: looking | testing | puzzling | questioning