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Young World
Demonstrating scientific skills
PAROMITA PAIN
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The Chennai Science Fair held recently saw projects that were not only fascinating but also challenging.
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Photo: M. Karunakaran
Budding Scientists: Interesting exhibits.
If science is among your pet peeves then you should have been present at this exhibition. Though the Birla Planetarium is normally associated with stars of the celestial kind, the Chennai Science Fair - 2008 held here recently gave it a whole new meaning. Organised by the Anna University, IIT Madras, CLRI, Madras University, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Cancer Institute, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology and Tami
l Nadu Science and Technology Centres and Science City, it promised young scientists a wide platform to display scientific skill and awareness.
Suddenly the grounds were filled with young people allowed to talk loudly and run around in their school uniforms. The atmosphere was festive with food stalls, ice creams, fried chicken and pani puri to add more
flavour.
R. Harika, from Zigma M.H.S.S., Medavakkam, was an enthusiastic participant. Her project had water, boats and people, all in miniature of course, and proved to be most exciting. It was a game of logic and players had to guess how five people could cross the stream in three trips. It sure was a lot more complicated than it looked but as the afternoon wore on her counter still had many trying to crack it.
Simple exhibit
While most of the stalls were about experiments, the counter on Ramanujam stood out, thanks to its stark simplicity. It was different from the other stuff on display and carried extracts from the various letters written by the mathematician to colleagues and contemporaries, excerpts from his work and important dates from his life. The displays were simple and took no effort to read. It was a pity that there were so few takers there.
Many students, from the various city schools thronged the stall set up by young scientists. And mind you, it wasn’t just about making sure the charts were well written and stayed on the walls. It was also about standing long hours in hot conditions and explaining the project to the many eager people who flocked to see them.
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