Did you know there could be something other than water in the rain? Have you ever seen a tree breathe? Did you know that not all scientists wear lab coats? Visit the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Appalachian Laboratory for a free Open House on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. to find out. Learn about Maryland’s flying mammals, what lurks in pond scum, and more.
The Appalachian Laboratory is located at 301 Braddock Road, just _ mile north of exit 33 on Interstate 68. Parking is free. For more information, visit http://www.umces.edu/al or call 301-689-7100.
This year’s Open House is being held in partnership with Frostburg State University and Allegany County Public Schools’ Western Maryland STEM Festival.
Hands-on, family-friendly science experiments include:
Is Rainwater Just Water?: Come learn how western Maryland high school students are partnering with Appalachian Laboratory scientists to study pollution in our rainwater. Try your hand at testing rain, and discover what mysteries this apparently clear liquid contains.
- Maryland’s Flying Mammals: Gain a better understanding of why bats are important to our ecosystem. See demonstrations of field equipment used in bat studies and learn about current threats to bat populations.
- The Tree Doctor: Have you ever seen a tree breathe? Learn about the equipment that our Tree Doctor uses to measure tree health and annual growth, as well as how climate change could affect trees in the future.
- Dr. Robert Cranium’s Mad Scientist Show: Learn about chemistry and science through exciting demonstrations. Watch Dr. Cranium create a cloud in a bottle, make a rainbow, and blow up a balloon without his mouth. Try your hand at creating the "car of the future."
·The Appalachian Laboratory is home to state-of-the-art research on plant and soil ecology, water resources, wildlife ecology, and conservation biology. Three floors of the laboratory will feature hands-on learning about science, including research unique to Allegany County.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science unleashes the power of science to transform the way society understands and manages the environment. By conducting cutting-edge research into today's most pressing environmental problems, we are developing new ideas to help guide our state, nation, and world toward a more environmentally sustainable future through five research centers—the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, the Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore, and the Maryland Sea Grant College in College Park. www.umces.edu
# # #
