4 Fun Activities for Science Geeks to Experiment With

Experimentation can give birth to some wonderful creations. If you’re a science geek trying to come up with something new to try, then we have some suggestions in mind. Check out the activities detailed below and see if they pique your scientific curiosity!

1. Utilize Molecular Gastronomy in Your Cooking

Molecular gastronomy is an approach to meal preparation that utilizes certain techniques and ingredients to induce physical and chemical transformations in food. Despite how it may sound, you won’t be using dangerous chemicals to cook your food. The EPA has a list of 140 chemicals that must be handled using a risk management plan if they are stored in large enough quantities. You won’t have to worry about that if you’re practicing molecular gastronomy.

Instead, you will use a variety of stabilizers, emulsifiers, gelling agents, and various other unconventional cooking ingredients. By combining different scientific techniques with those ingredients, you can create culinary creations that no one in your household may have seen before. Impress them with your scientific approach to cooking and encourage them to give it a try as well.

2. Build a Garden Populated with Unusual Plants

Are you the type of science geek who likes to work outside and get their hands dirty? If so, you should look into building a garden in your backyard. Steel framing is 5% to 7% less expensive than concrete and wood. You can use steel framing to create a sturdy garden that can hold different plants.

Conduct a bit of research and see which atypical plants you can grow in your backyard and don’t forget to consider the weather conditions in your area. You can go with food crops or any plants that you find interesting for one reason or another. Use your garden to learn more about plant life and beautify your home in the process.

3. Create Colorful Articles of Clothing Using Your Homegrown Plants

The first promotional T-shirt was created with screen printing and it was made for the premiere of The Wizard of Oz back in 1939. You don’t have to create promotional T-shirts to generate interest in your projects, but the activity itself can still be a ton of fun. Make that activity more interesting by using plant-based dyes instead of artificial coloring. Utilize the plants you have in your garden to make this project more sustainable. For instance, you can boil a shirt with onion skins for a gorgeous yellow-orange hue.

4. Make a Groovy Lava Lamp

Lava lamps were first created decades and they are still being sold today because of their fun and wacky colors. Cats and children everywhere are mesmerized by the fascinating shapes that appear. They are surprisingly easy to make too. By utilizing vegetable oil, alka-seltzer and some food coloring you can make your own homemade lava lamp in minutes.

The homemade versions of lava lamps won’t last as long as the store-bought versions because of the catalyst used to create the bubbles in the water. The store-bought models contain a heating element that gets the viscous and colored globs moving throughout the vase. Instead, the homemade models use alka-seltzer as the ignition for movement. Impressing your friends and family with a homemade lava lamp as a birthday present is a great gift idea and one that will be met with wide eyes and big smiles.

It’s easy to have fun as a science geek. You can get into all kinds of activities and enjoy them greatly by viewing them from a scientific perspective. We hope you like the suggestions we provided here. Check out the rest of our site to get more great ideas for you to do by yourself or with family and friends!