Jump into the exciting world of plant cells
Breathing and eating are critical to our lives. Get to know the organisms that make these two processes possible: plants!
As part of National Science Week, two Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence; Plant Energy Biology and Translational Photosynthesis, joined forces to show the Canberra public how plant cells work and their importance to human lives.
Plants source energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert this energy into the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat. This all happens inside plant cells, so small they are invisible to the naked eye.
However, visitors to Canberra’s Science in ACTion festival had the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world’s biggest, and bounciest, plant cell! Bio-Bounce is an 11 metre by 13 metre inflated structure representing a plant cell that has been enlarged one million times. Visitors were able to travel to where photosynthesis occurs and DNA is stored.
Alongside the Bio-Bounce we had hand-on activities to extract plant DNA, explored how light is used by plants, discovered tiny plant structures under a microscope, saw photosynthesis in action and learnt why scientists find this all so fascinating.
Visitors had the opportunity to ask questions of a plant scientist and learnt amazing facts about the inner workings of a plant cell.
WHAT: “Bio-bounce” and “Always look at the bright side of plants” Science in ACTion events.
WHEN: Friday 14th August (Schools day) and Saturday 15th August (Community day), 2015, 9-4 pm
WHERE: Old Bus Depot, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, Canberra, Australia
For more information about National Science week 2015 visit http://www.scienceweek.net.au/