May 9, 2026
On May 9, 2026, I attended the Science Rendezvous in person at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital.
This event had a variety of demonstrations, hands-on activities, and experiments.
Through the hands-on activities, I learned many fascinating things:
- How baking soda and vinegar trigger a chemical reaction that produces a large amount of carbon dioxide gas powerful enough to launch a plastic container into the air.
- How antibodies react to antigens on foreign red blood cells and the compatibility between blood types.
- How to build a DNA strand model (double helix) using marshmallows, toothpicks, and Twizzlers.
- How different organs work together to keep our bodies functioning properly and how blood clots in the aorta can trigger strokes and heart attacks.
- How calcium lactate and sodium alginate are used to create edible bursting water bubbles (similar to popping boba).
- How our brains prioritize reading the literal word over reading the color of the text itself (the Stroop Effect, first documented by psychologist John Ridley Stroop in 1935 to demonstrate cognitive conflict in the brain).
- How vitamin C (used in skincare) slows oxidation.
- How to extract individual DNA from saliva (saliva DNA testing can identify ancestry).
- How the brain sends electrical signals to arm muscles when opening or closing a hand. By placing electrodes on the skin, we could observe how these signals control muscle movement to grip or release a cup.
- How to operate scientific tools such as a burette, microscope, and macroscope.
The festival was full of fun and created an environment where people of all backgrounds and ages could experience the joy of discovery. I am very thankful to the volunteers who were able to guide me through each activity and allow me to learn new things about science.
