Right now, world-class sound and production crews are busy fine-tuning instruments and tweaking amps for the entire family’s enjoyment. We can hardly wait as crews set up the interactive elements that make this fun, educational museum experience unlike any other exhibit currently traveling. It’s going to be a rockin’ good time.

Some of the elements we are excited for include:

• The Reactable: There is a lot to learn about how songs develop from a creative idea to a final piece of music. Grab a friend and compose a heart-felt ballad or rockin’ party anthem on this interactive table that encourages you to express your inner songwriter.

• Video Blog and Recording Booth: Sing, scream, grunt and holler your way to The Sunset Strip! Have some serious fun recording yourself as a charismatic front man in this professional recording booth.

• Mixing Station: Are you a brilliant audio engineer and don’t even know it? Perhaps this practical activity will spark your imagination and inspire you to become a master of sound. Play producer by remixing the vocals, drums, guitars and keys of famous rock songs to create your own, unique version.

• Instrument Pod: Interested in learning how to shred like Jimi or groove like Vinnie Paul? Catch a few pointers about how guitars, bass, drums and keyboards function in these interactive pods. Each pod includes lessons suitable for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or triple platinum rockstar.

Detroit has deep roots in rock ‘n’ roll history, including being home to big-time rock legends such as Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Kid Rock and Jack White. The city’s influence on music history doesn’t stop at rock ‘n’ roll, either. From Motown to Madonna, it has played a major role in the music industry for over 65 years. We’re excited to learn the science behind some of Detroit’s music history. Are you? Check out the “The Science of Rock ‘n’ Roll” for yourself – the exhibit opens at Mi-Sci on Thursday, June 20.

If you just can’t wait until June 16 to get your gross on, here are some fun, easy and repulsive concoctions that you and dad can try at home in the meantime:

Fake Snot

Have fun with boogers without digging up the real thing! This green and gooey substance is guaranteed to send babysitters running, and will help explain the function of sugars and proteins in the human body. All you need is a heatproof cup, gelatin, corn syrup, food coloring and a strong stomach.

Edible Model of Skin

Summers are full of potlucks and picnics, and at some point, your family is probably going to bring food to share. Make a dish the guests won’t forget, a fresh pan of human skin complete with hair, moles and scabs! This creative dessert recipe is easy to make and illustrates how human skin is made up of layers.

Glow Water

Is that some kind of magic potion? Nope, it’s just water that glows in the dark, but your friends will never know the difference. Find out how to turn regular water into out-of-this-world alien acid here.

Drinkable Blood

The world is full of insects, fish and mammals that feed on the blood of other living things. You could say these animals are real-life vampires. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to slurp blood for breakfast, try this simple recipe, which closely resembles the color and consistency of human blood.

Rubber Bones

What can happen to our bones if we don’t consume enough calcium? Try this interesting experiment after dinner to find out. Turn bones into rubber using leftovers, a mason jar and some vinegar.

For more information about Mi-Sci’s fun-filled Father’s Day activities, click here.

What makes our camp so great? We’ve got FUN down to a science, and our attendees will discover a new, engaging area of science each week. We differentiate the camps so kids are consistently learning and are NEVER bored!

While visiting with us, campers can learn:

• All about amazing inventors, like Thomas Edison
• The different types of rocks and how volcanoes are formed and erupt
• How physics plays a role in building catapults and mousetrap cars
• Why our solar system is so “out of this world”
• What it’s like to be a forensic scientist and work a crime scene
• How to defy gravity by building parachutes and other flying machines
• About potions and the science behind magic
• Why exercise and a healthy diet matters

The fun and learning don’t stop there…our campers will also get the chance to explore our more than 200 hands-on exhibits and even visit some nearby cultural institutions.

Programs run 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. with extended hours available from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. for child care. For more information, click here.

Want more science fun this summer? Check out some of these children books:

• “The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth” by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
• “Geology Rocks!: 50 Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth” by Cindy Blobaum
• “What If: Mind-Boggling Science Questions for Kids” by Robert Ehrlich
• “All About the Weather” by Bruce LaFontaine
• “Where on Earth?” by Dorling Kindersley Publishing Staff

We’re especially excited to roll out our new traveling exhibit in mid-June. We know you’re anxious to hear what it is, but for now, let’s just say that visitors of all ages will be grooving to the beat of this interactive exhibit.

Groups are the way to go

Do you know what the best part is about Mi-Sci in the summertime? We’re open all week long! This means that if you come in a group (which can be less expensive and more fun), we have the flexibility to accommodate everyone’s schedule.

Who can bring a group? Anybody! Here are a few crowds we tend to see wandering around Mi-Sci:

• Church members
• Birthday parties
• Community/senior center groups
• Family reunions
• School groups

Parties of 12 or more can call ahead, make a reservation and get a discount. Click here for more cost-saving information.

Remember, we’re here rain or shine!

Through May 26, Michigan Science Center visitors have the opportunity to walk through a giant blood vessel display to gain a better understanding of how your body works and the impact of diabetes. The sound track of a heartbeat plays as you enter the blood vessel and 40,000 LED lights pulsate, simulating how insulin helps glucose enter your body’s cells – how cool is that?

Did you know…?

• Every 21 seconds, a person in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes
• 230 million people have diabetes worldwide
• More than 25 million Americans have the disease, with one-third of those cases going undiagnosed
• One out of every three children in the U.S. have the chance of developing diabetes at some point in their life
• For some ethnicities, one out of every two children are likely to develop diabetes
• Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.

Why visit the exhibit?

This interactive, 2,500 square-foot exhibit, “Diabetes: A Deeper Look,” was developed by the right here by Mi-Sci. With 22 hands-on interactive displays both in and around the giant blood vessel, you can learn what diabetes is, who is at risk for developing the disease, what treatments are available and how to control blood sugar levels.

Some of the entertaining displays include a Rappin’ Refrigerator that raps about choosing the right foods, Sugar Gulp! where visitors can see the excessive levels of sugar used in soda and a Balancing Act exhibit which challenges participants to make it through an obstacle course. A Pharmaceutical Production Facility illustrates how drugs are made and a Research and Development Discovery Puzzle allows visitors to solve the puzzle to figure out what compound could help prevent diseases.

Other resources

If you’re interested in learning more about diabetes (after visiting our Mi-Sci exhibit of course) visit the American Diabetes Association’s website, here.

That’s why watching Tornado Alley – Michigan’s Science Center’s newest IMAX® film – could be your closest encounter with this high winds, destructive weather phenomenon. The film, which really needs to be seen in an IMAX® theater to feel the intensity, follows filmmaker Sean Casey (star of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers series) on his journey to witness the birth of a tornado.

For more information on movie times, see our Chrysler IMAX® Dome Theatre page.

If you get a kick out of the film, or are looking for a fun project, consider conducting this experiment as well:

Tornado in a Jar*
Materials needed:

• mayonnaise jar or a canning jar
• clear liquid soap
• vinegar
• water

Process:

• Fill the jar about three-quarters full of water.
• Put a teaspoon of liquid soap into the jar.
• Add a teaspoon of vinegar into the jar.
• Tighten the lid and shake the jar to mix up the ingredients.
• Now, swirl the jar in a circular motion.
• The liquid will form a small tornado. 

If you want to spice up your twister, add food coloring to enhance the tornado with color and use glitter to represent debris.

Explanation:
Swirling the jar in a circular motion forms a vortex and is an easy way to create your own tornado!

*Note: The instructions for this experiment came from weatherwizkids.com

Frame grab from Tornado Alley IMAX film

The traveling exhibit, “Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion,” features more than 100 specimens, including organs, transparent body slices and even whole bodies! These real human bodies are preserved through plastination, a technique that replaces body fluids with plastics. The bodies displayed at the exhibit are positioned “in motion,” so you can see what your body looks like internally when shooting a basketball, throwing a disk or kicking a soccer ball, to see what it would look in real life activities.

This unique exhibit is a real eye-opener about why healthy lifestyle choices are so important for our well-being and the effects smoking and diet can have on our bodies. Human bodies are very complex inside and consist of multiple systems, including the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, and circulatory, that allow us to function each day. Here are some interesting (and weird) facts about how our bodies operate:

• On average, a person sheds more than 100 pounds of skin in their lifetime
• Adult humans take approximately 23,000 breaths a day
• Vocal chords open and close 100 times per second during normal speech
• The human brain generates more electrical impulses in one day than all the telephones in the world

“Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion” will be on display at Mi-Sci until May 26 and is recommended for visitors 12 and over. Visit our admission section to learn more about ticket prices and package options.

It is the Michigan Science Center’s mission to help inspire children and their families to discover, explore and appreciate STEM in a creative, dynamic learning environment. Oh yeah, and we’re looking to have a lot of fun while we do it.

The Mi-Sci Blog is an extension of our unique and comprehensive technology museum. We invite you to visit here regularly (go ahead add us to your bookmark) for inspiration and information that will help shape Michigan’s next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators. Stay tuned for awesome info including behind the scene looks at how the Science Center operates, sneak peeks at new exhibits, insights from famous innovators, do-it-yourself experiments and much, much more.

That said, nothing compares to experiencing the Michigan Science Center first hand. So come on down and check us out.

We’ve Got Fun Down to a Science!