Milkweed bugs, as their name suggests, have a close relationship with the milkweed plant. The plant produces a milky sap, and toxic compounds, but somehow the milkweed bug is unaffected by them. Instead, it concentrates chemicals from...

In this project you'll build a bird feeding platform with four separate feeding areas. You'll be able to observe birds at close range, find out what birds inhabit your area, and learn about their seed-eating preferences. So get out your...

Hooke's law says that the opposing force of a spring is directly proportional to the amount by which the spring is stretched. How accurately Hooke's law describe the behavior of real springs? Can springs be used to make accurate scales...

Many materials expand when heated and contract when cooled. What do you think will happen to the elasticity (stretchiness) of a rubber band when it is heated or cooled to various temperatures?

Here's a project that involves a different kind of sandbox than the ones you usually think of. This one has a moving wall inside, acting like a piston, to compress the sand. You can make layers using two different colors of sand, and...

How do astronomers collect stardust? They design and build satellites that are launched into space to collect particles on specially designed panels. Satellites can be sent to orbit around an object of interest: a planet, moon, or comet....

How much food do you think your pet eats compared to other kinds of pets? In this experiment you will compare the food intake of your family pets to find out which pet eats more for its body weight.

What makes you notice someone in a crowd? Why do some things stand out, while others melt into the background? In this experiment you can investigate the psychology of how things get noticed, by studying how our brains perform a visual...

Puppies prove to be a fun and useful aid in this adorable experiment! By having access to, and measuring a puppy's body dimensions over a period of weeks or months, you can discover if segments of canine anatomy develop at different...

Here is a cool project about making fresh water from salt water using solar power, also known as water desalination. The apparatus is made from readily available materials, and the power source is free. As an inventive thinker, you will...

In this "kitchen chemistry" project about acid/base chemistry, you will measure the acidity or alkalinity of a solution using a logarithmic scale called the pH scale. As you learn about the pH scale, you will have the chance to make your...

There are many different types of vinegar that you can buy to use around the kitchen for cooking and pickling. The chemical compound that gives vinegar its tart taste and pungent smell is acetic acid. In this experiment you will work to...

If you have ever had a fish tank, you have owned an operating siphon. A siphon is a handy device for emptying out a liquid reservoir that has no drain. As a result, they are great for cleaning fish tanks. Liquid in a siphon flows...

If art and math are both passions of yours, this project is meant for you! Spidrons are geometric forms made from alternating sequences of equilateral and isosceles (30 degrees, 30 degrees, 120 degrees) triangles. Spidrons were...

If you enjoy playing cards, this project will get you thinking about strategy in card games and help you become a better card player. Explore probability using computer simulations and the practice of counting cards.

If you live in a place that gets cold in the winter, you have most likely seen trucks spreading a mixture of sand and salt on the streets after a snowfall to help de-ice roads. This basic chemistry project gives you clues to discover how...

Many essential chemical reactions and natural biochemical processes occur in liquid solutions, so understanding the chemical properties of liquid solutions is fundamentally important. This project will challenge you to discover how much...

Cranked powered appliances and gadgets are becoming more and more prevalent. Items used in America such as flashlights and radios are one example. However, in third world countries, radios have many uses, some important and educational,...

Here you can find what you need to scientifically assess battery performance. In this exercise (that should take about one week) learn how batteries work, how they wear out and most importantly, how to make valid measurements to assess...

This project is a great way to "bring home" the concept of energy use. All you need to get started is a good-sized sample of monthly electric bills from households in your area. Building from this simple beginning, you can ask questions...

Here is a project that uses direct solar power, gathering the sun's rays for heating and sterilizing water or cooking. It's a low-cost technology that seems to have everything going for it. Use this project to find out if it works, and...

Conservation biologists know which places are important to protect. How nature guides know which animals can be found in which places, are made possible partly by conservation biology. This experiment allows you to discover how maps can...

Prosthetic limbs and artificial joints can help people with disease or injury lead a normal life. Sports medicine or physical therapy is also an area that relates to this experiment. Either way, this project serves as a good match if any...

Our brains are split into two parts, right inside our head. One half is the left brain and the other half is the right brain. Each side of your brain controls different parts of your body and most people are more dominant controlling one...