For attendees eager to trade lecture seats for active discovery, the Science Track transformed Marriott A601–A602 into an interactive laboratory on Saturday at 11:30 AM with “Science Fair! Hands-On Science Power Hour!” Fans moved exhibit by exhibit, getting up close with live specimens, historical fossils, and physics experiments guided by working researchers and educators.
“Tuning In to the Cosmos with Dr. Nicole Gugliucci” (Radio Jove Project)
Astronomer and education researcher Dr. Nicole Gugliucci, the “NoisyAstronomer,” showcased the value of citizen science. A professor at Saint Anselm College, Dr. Gugliucci supports the volunteer-driven Radio Jove Project—a “hands-on, inquiry-based educational project that allows students, teachers, and the general public to learn about radio astronomy by building their own radio telescope.” The Radio Jove project began in the late 1990s to make science more accessible to everyone, while also contributing to scientific knowledge. Undergraduate students and amateur astronomers participating in the program build their own telescope from scratch.
Dr. Gugliucci displayed a custom radio telescope receiver and antenna for visitors to see and touch and also showed different examples of ongoing projects on monitors. As an educator, Dr. Gugliucci is particularly interested in how teachers use the educational materials from the Radio Jove Project to teach students.
“Simulating the Immune System”
Microbiologist Kathleen Peters brought immunology to a kid-friendly scale with an engaging physical model. Young attendees shook jars filled with salt, which represented healthy cells in the body. Peters then introduced iron filings symbolizing invading pathogens. When a magnet was introduced to the center, the iron filings quickly clung to it, offering a hands-on demonstration of how the immune system recognizes foreign invaders, builds targeted defenses, and protects the body against repeat exposures.
“Radio Waves as Visible Sparks”
Science communicator and astrophysics writer Charles E. Blue turned invisible electromagnetic energy into an electrifying light show. Using a compact table device that converts radio waves into visible light, Blue generated miniature lightning arcing across a clear tube. He demonstrated that radio frequencies pass effortlessly through everyday barriers like paper, triggering nearby LED diodes and giving visitors a vivid, tangible look at high-frequency wave transmission.
“Creepy Crawlies Up Close”
Dr. Kelly Carruthers (popularly known as “Dr. Craz”), the undergraduate coordinator for the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia who oversees the UGA Insect Zoo, brought living biodiversity to the floor alongside Malcolm Peavy. The UGA Insect Zoo featured display cases of native Georgia butterflies and moths alongside an array of live arthropods. Attendees inspected green Filipino walking sticks, black Peruvian walking sticks, massive millipedes, and Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Schools and the public can book tours for the UGA Insect Zoo through their website.
“Reading Earth’s Ancient History”
Paleontologist and Common Descent podcast co-host David Moscato walked visitors through billions of years of geological time using authentic core samples and mineral formations. Displays included lake drill cores showing distinct historical sedimentary layers, petrified coastal storm deposits, and heavy, spiked fossilized corals from ancient reef ecosystems. Moscato also highlighted Carboniferous-period Sigillaria scale tree root casts, explaining how petrified infill preserved the precise geometry of prehistoric vegetation from the Pangea era.
“Bridging Past and Present with 3D Scans”
Educator and Common Descent podcast co-host Will Harris showcased how modern digital tools are revolutionizing vertebrate paleontology. Harris arranged authentic bone specimens, including a bobcat skull and a 10-foot Burmese python skeleton, alongside 1:1 scale casts and 3D-printed fossil replicas, such as vertebrae models from Titanoboa—the largest known prehistoric snake. Harris emphasized that 3D scanning and printing allow researchers and museums to scale, inspect, and share delicate fossil evidence worldwide without risking original museum artifacts kept safely in collections storage, revolutionizing paleontology.
“Vibrations and Structural Resonance”
Rounding out the room’s physical sciences was an interactive acoustic resonance demonstration conducted by Jeff Hubbs, a consultant in energy systems and climate change research. By routing a variable signal generator through an amplifier directly into a wooden structure rather than a traditional speaker cone, Hubbs demonstrated how physical materials respond to sound frequencies. Visitors felt the inaudible, rumbling table vibrations at 16 Hz, watched node lines shift and wood lock in place at specific frequencies, and heard a piercing tone develop at 1,000 Hz, revealing how electronic oscillation physically manipulates solid matter.
*All photos by Jared Austin
