Promoting Feb Break with Optical Illusions on Live Morning Show

February Break Week has come again! Those who work at science museums or have visited one during this time know that it is the busiest 9 days of the whole year. The lines at the admission desk can sometimes be out the door, and the planetarium and IMAX are sure to have good attendance. It is also a time that brings out the best in the staff. It is a challenge and it is always inspiring to watch everyone work so hard.

Rob Benedict playing the
Native American flute

This year we have really gone all out, trying to create as much value as we can for the visitors. We are showing two new IMAX movies, have a new exhibit, and have added extra planetarium shows which were written specifically for this week. For me, the best part of the week has been a planetarium collaboration I'm doing with Rob Benedict, a local Mohawk flute player. We have put together a show that is part musical performance, and part storytelling and astronomy. Last Saturday it sold out really fast, and I hope it does again this coming weekend.

Anyone interested in looking over our movies schedule, prices, or events, can check out our website: www.most.org

Yesterday I had the privilege to go on Channel 9's morning show and talk about this week. I always enjoy going on Bridge Street because the hosts and the rest of the staff are all friendly and easy to work with. One of the tech people is an old high school buddy of mine, too. If your interested in seeing me on air doing a couple optical illusions, check out the video below.  Please note:  Admissions is $8 for adults and $7 for children.

Here is a video I made of Rob Benedict playing the flute last year.

Burning Money for the Holidays on Live TV!

I couldn't let the Holiday season pass by without going on Channel 9's Bridge Street morning show and doing something fun. Last year I brought liquid nitrogen and used it to make ice cream for the hosts (check earlier blog post). That was a great demonstration for the season, but what could I bring this time? Well, my fellow science educators at the MOST and I thought about it and came up with a few ideas. Our favorite was the burning money demonstration we found at Steve Spangler's website. This is a potentially dangerous demonstration, so I recommend that children do not try this. If you are an adult, and you want to try this activity, make sure you read through the instructions carefully on Steve Spangler's website.

Burning money? On live TV? What? Isn't that illegal?

Defacing a dollar bill certainly is a crime (see link), but the fun thing about this demonstration is that the dollar bill doesn't get damaged at all by the flame it's engulfed in.

So why doesn't the dollar bill burn? The dollar bill never gets hot enough to light on fire. Sure, the rubbing alcohol is burning up all around it, but because the bill is soaked with water, the water absorbs the heat and not the bill itself. The trick to keeping the bill from lighting is to make sure you have the right amount of water in the solution.

In the Bridge Street segment I mentioned how memberships can be a great way to save money. I am going to write a separate post about the value of museum memberships, but I want to briefly explain what I mean by this. A museum membership may cost you double or more than a single museum visit, but even without the discounts that come with them, a membership can soon pay for itself. For example, with a Family+ membership at the MOST, a family that travels to the MOST and other ASTC science museums could expect to reasonable save $100 or more a year.

I hope you enjoy the clip!
-Dustin Angell, 2011

Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream - Christmas Demo

It is always fun making an appearance on Bridge Street, Channel 9's morning show. I've been going on the show for a year or so now, usually bringing on a science demonstration to do with the hosts. Since it is the Christmas season, I thought it would be fun to post the segment from last December when I made ice cream using liquid nitrogen. The producer, Holly, has recently sent me the links to my old appearances, so I will probably be adding some others on future posts.