Several top University of Colorado at Boulder science professors will once again bring the world of science to young minds during the 2002-03 CU Wizards program beginning Saturday, Sept. 28.
Physics Professor John Taylor, also known as the original "Mr. Wizard," opens the season with "How Things Move." The free hour-long show will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Duane Physics room G1B30.
During the show Taylor plans to lie on a bed of nails, pull a tablecloth out from under a set of china and show a video of himself walking on fire, all in the name of science. The audience will learn about motion and what makes things move. Taylor also explains how two seemingly different topics, such as motion and heat, can turn out to be one and the same.
Audience members also get to participate in the show. For example they will use skateboards to demonstrate Newton's third law, which says "For every action, there is an equal and opposite action."Ìý
CU Wizards is usually held the third Saturday of each month during the academic year and focuses on astronomy, chemistry and physics. Though intended primarily for students in grades five through nine, the shows are educational and entertaining to people of all ages.
Taylor created the CU Wizards program in 1976 with former CU-Boulder Professor Jim Scott. Taylor received an Emmy Award for the television series "Physics for Fun" which he helped produce and which aired from 1988 to 1990.
The remaining 2002-03 CU Wizards schedule is:
* Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m., Cristol Chemistry room 140, chemistry and biochemistry Professor David Nesbitt, "Chemistry of Cooking."
* Nov. 16, 9:30 a.m., Cristol Chemistry room 140, Senior Instructor Janet deGrazia of chemical engineering and Associate Professor Brian Argrow of aerospace engineering sciences, "Go With the Flow."
* Dec. 21, 9:30 a.m., Duane Physics room G1B30, Professors Henry Kapteyn and Margaret Murnane of physics, "Lasers and Light."
* Jan. 18, 9:30 a.m., Duane Physics room G1B30, Professor Paul Beale of physics, "Heat, Temperature and Absolute Zero."
* Feb. 15, 9:30 a.m., Duane Physics room G1B30, Professors Noel Clark and Joe Maclennan of physics, and Professor Dave Walba of chemistry and biochemistry, "Liquid Crystals."
* March 15, 9:30 a.m., Cristol Chemistry room 140, Associate Professor Kathy Rowlen of chemistry and biochemistry, "Chemistry of Light."
* April 19, 9:30 a.m., Duane Physics room G1B30, Adjoint Professor James Faller of physics, "The Physics of Music."
* May 17, 9:30 a.m., Cristol Chemistry room 140, Assistant Professor Deborah Wuttke of chemistry and biochemistry, "Biochemistry for Kids."
* June 14, 9:30 a.m., Fiske Planetarium, Professor Andrew Hamilton of astrophysical and planetary sciences, "Black Holes."
For more information about CU Wizards call (303) 492-4318 or visit the Web site at .