Museum of Science and Industry

You’ve probably heard parents joking that their kids need to burn off some energy. What if, instead, the adults told them to go outside and make some electricity? Here's a neat idea: using playtime to produce power!

Energy harnessing playgrounds can use the movement of play to generate electricity, which can then be used to light the area at night or be stored for later....

For every parent who has struggled to get their child into the tub, there is a new invention by a South African student that may make life easier: DryBath.

This clear gel cleans the skin just as well as soap and water. What's different from most other antibacterial products is that it does not smell heavily of alcohol and leaves the skin feeling clean and moisturized. The inventor,...

Hooray, it’s summer vacation time! After a day packed with sightseeing, fun in the sun, and huge meals in a new and exciting place, it always feels great to flop down on the hotel bed and flip on the TV. But wait! You may have just touched the dirtiest, germiest thing in the room!

In a small preliminary study, scientists tested surfaces in hotel rooms to...

What is a Flame from Ben Ames on Vimeo.

When actor Alan Alda was eleven years old, he asked his teacher, "What is a flame?" She responded, "Flame is oxidation." Does that phrase mean anything to you? Would it have meant anything to you when you...

You know what I love about plants? Their work ethic. Plants are consistently photosynthesizing to transform sunlight, water, and CO2 into chemical energy.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could use these same materials to make energy for ourselves? Well, hold on to your chloroplasts – because now we can!

A team of chemists recently achieved artificial photosynthesis by using a catalyst made from the metal ruthenium (Ru) and organic molecules. Their reaction takes water and CO2 and converts them into...