Science Circus is April 26 at the Bradbury Science Museum

Contact: Shelley Thompson, sthompson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-7778 (02-033)

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 19, 2002 -- The Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory's Bradbury Science Museum hosts its annual Science Circus from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday (April 26). Museum staff designed Science Circus to excite elementary school age children about science in the world around them through hands-on activities and demonstrations.

According to Pat Berger of the museum, "The circus is a fun learning event and provides something of interest for everyone, from hot air balloons to trees to the human brain to moon craters."

Children can learn how sound waves move through water, watch robotic insects battle and learn about real insects and wildlife on the Pajarito Plateau.

Children will see salamanders, scorpions and tarantulas, hear the eerie sounds of animals that fly in the night and play detective as they try to identify animal bones and skulls. They also can participate in a hands-on activity that illustrates some of the physical properties of water including how to seemingly defy gravity by controlling fluid instabilities.

Presenters include staff from the Laboratory, Los Alamos County Extension Office, Balloon Explorium in Albuquerque and Pajarito Astronomers.

Science Circus is free and open to the public. For more information, call Berger at 665-0896.

Science Circus originated as a way for the museum to recognize and participate in National Science and Technology Week.

The Bradbury Science Museum is part of the Laboratory's Community Relations (CRO) Office. It is located at 15th Street and Central Avenue in Los Alamos. Museum hours, apart from the special events listed above, are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring safety and confidence in the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction and improving the environmental and nuclear materials legacy of the cold war. Los Alamos' capabilities assist the nation in addressing energy, environment, infrastructure and biological security problems.