Exploratorium: The Museum of Science, Art & Human Perception
WEBExperience the Exploratorium. Let your curiosity roam free through hundreds of exhibits in our six spacious indoor and outdoor galleries at Pier 15, San Francisco.
Anatomy of an Egg - Exploratorium
WEBBumpy and grainy in texture, an eggshell is covered with as many as 17,000 tiny pores. Eggshell is made almost entirely of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) crystals. It is a semipermeable membrane, which means that air and moisture can pass through its pores. The shell also has a thin outermost coating called the bloom or cuticle that helps keep out ...
A Brief History of Pi (π) - Exploratorium
WEBHere’s a brief history of finding π. The ancient Babylonians calculated the area of a circle by taking 3 times the square of its radius, which gave a value of pi = 3. One Babylonian tablet (ca. 1900–1680 BC) indicates a value of 3.125 for π, which is a closer approximation. The Rhind Papyrus (ca.1650 BC) gives us insight into the ...
Visit the Exploratorium at Pier 15
WEBThe Exploratorium is more than a museum—it’s a gateway to exploring science, art, and human perception with every visit. Let your curiosity roam through more than 700 interactive exhibits in six spacious indoor and outdoor galleries.
Solar Eclipse 2024: Info & Live Stream | Exploratorium
WEBThe Exploratorium and NASA have teamed up to bring you live eclipse coverage for over 20 years. This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX16AB96A issued through the Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Prepare for the next eclipse on April 8, 2024. Learn what a …
Secret Language: Cryptography & Secret Codes | Exploratorium
WEBThe algorithm or method used to encipher the original message (known as the plaintext). The key used with the algorithm to allow the plaintext to be both enciphered and deciphered. The period or time during which the key is valid. By way of analogy, to get into your home you would put a key in a lock to open the door.
What Causes a Solar Eclipse? | Exploratorium
WEBA solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting the moon's shadow on Earth. This only happens occasionally, because the moon doesn't orbit in the exact same plane as the Sun and Earth do. Two things need to occur at once for you to see a solar eclipse: the Sun, moon, and Earth need to be in a straight line, with ...
What is sugar? - Exploratorium
WEBThe white stuff we know as sugar is sucrose, a molecule composed of 12 atoms of carbon, 22 atoms of hydrogen, and 11 atoms of oxygen (C12H22O11). Like all compounds made from these three elements, sugar is a carbohydrate. It’s found naturally in most plants, but especially in sugarcane and sugar beets—hence their names.
Build a Solar System Model | Exploratorium
WEBIf you build your solar system on a roll of toilet paper, you can make the Sun about .4 inches (10 mm) across and still fit the entire solar system on the roll. A standard roll of toilet paper has about 450 sheets that are about 4.375 inches long, hence the roll is about 164 feet long. You should check your toilet paper for length.
Your Weight on Other Worlds - Exploratorium
WEBScales measure the force of attraction between you and the Earth. This force of attraction between you and the Earth (or any other planet) is called your weight. If you are in a spaceship far between the stars and you put a scale underneath you, the scale would read zero. Your weight is zero. You are weightless.