Bug-in Out
Sponsored by Frank and Yvonne Schweighardt
Come face-to-face with creepy, crawlies from around the world! Located in
the Center's first floor commons, the Bug-in Out exhibit features creatures
from five different continents. These are more than just your backyard bugs.
With access from all directions, you and your family can get up close and
personal with some of the World's most unique critters, including:
Chilean
Rose Tarantula
What's pink, hairy and has eight legs? It's a
spider native to South America that is nicknamed
a "flame spider" because of the pink coloration on
its back and abdomen. (pictured at right)
Tanzanian Giant Tailless
Whipscorpion
In the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,
this creature held poisonous venum so deadly
that one bite could kill. In reality, however, the
Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion has no venom. Native to Africa, this
arachnid is different from other scorpions due to its front whip-like legs
that help it sense in its environment.
African Giant Black
Millipede
What some believe to be the largest millipede in the world, this diplodod
is a gentle giant. Harmless to humans, this 5-to-8-inch creature thrives in
tropical environments.
Emperor Scorpion
This arachnid is one of the largest scorpions in the world and has one of
the lowest toxicities in the world. It is native to Africa and popular as
a pet.
Let's
Get Down to Nano
Let's get little! Built in partnership with
Lehigh University, the Center's new nanotechnology exhibit takes things to
the extreme, showing how everything
around us is made of incredibly small components.
Nanotechnology is the
science of things about one billionth of a meter in size. One
nanometer (nm) is about the size of five or
six atoms lined
up. The width of human hair is about 80,000 nanometers. The difference between
a nanometer and a meter would be similar to that between a marble and planet
Earth.
Let's Get Down to Nano explains what nanotechnology is, and how scientists use it, with activities including:
Stick to It
How do nanoparticles stick together? Visitors can find out by moving loose
ping-pong balls and then trying to move ping-pong balls that are bonded together.
Building Blocks
Visitors can build their own molecules to gain an understanding of the components
of a molecule and the bonds that hold them together.
Nano-Replicator
Do you think you could build using nanoparticles? It's harder than it seems.
Visitors can try a simulation for themselves. However, like real scientists,
they will not be able to see what they are doing with their own eyes!
Magnification Station
Ever want to know what a dollar bill looks like when one gets 200 times closer?
The magnification scopes show what a variety of substances look like magnified
50-200 times.
Measure Yourself in
Nanometers
Visitors can find out exactly how big they are in nanometers.
