Learning Toolbox

We modified the Exploratorium's Giant Mirror exhibit to allow us to observe small changes in the temperature of moving air. In this video, we use those observations to determine which face coverings work best to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

You are probably confronted with scientific facts and factoids from a multitude of sources. How do you know what you can trust? This article explains seven questions you should ask about any scientific claim.

You touch your face, probably without realizing it, more than a dozen times an hour. Trying to stop is not usually effective; how do you stop yourself from doing something you don't know you're doing? This activity presents a simple technique that allows you to catch yourself in the act every time you bring your hand near your face.

As humans, it’s important to connect—but in this time of social distancing, we don’t want to share too much. In this blog post from Exploratorium exhibit developer Paul Dancstep, investigate (and try out!) a range of greetings and find out which are the most (and least) infectious. What actions can we take to feel close, even when we must keep our distance?

Times of crisis can bring people together—but they can also promote xenophobia, or the fear of people different from us. In this blog post, find out what contributes to xenophobia, how it affects us, and how we can keep it in check.

Human skin is covered with bacteria, as you'll discover by doing the Salty Pits Science Snack. You can also use bacterial cultures to see how well you wash your hands. Pour some agar plates as described in the Snack, and place your thumbprint on one side. Wash your hands, and put your thumbprint on the other side. Is there a difference in the amount of bacteria that grows?

A firm handshake can transfer twice the number of microbes as a gentle one due to the increase in contact surface area. The Hand Battery Science Snack provides a way to measure the difference that pressing harder makes, since more contact surface area also results in a larger current in the battery.

Some airports use thermal scanners to screen arriving passengers for fever. These cameras are like the one in the Exploratorium exhibit What’s Hot, What’s Not?—they detect infrared light, which indicates the amount of heat radiating from the surface of an object. Thermal scanners can't identify someone who is infected with coronavirus but doesn't yet have a fever or other symptoms.

The current coronavirus outbreak requires everyone to help keep the community safe through frequent handwashing, staying at home, and maintaining social distance. Is the collective benefit worth the inconvenience? Explore this calculation by playing The Investment Game and changing the cards from values of money to types of individual health precautions ($0 would be “no precautions taken”)—a higher value in the collective pot at the end of the round means higher likelihood that everyone will stay healthy. What do you notice about individual decisions and collective outcomes?

Communication between the government, medical professionals, and our communities helps us figure out how to reduce the spread of the virus and have the best outcome. Play one round of the Collaborative Shapes activity as described, then modify by adding an additional player who can keep their eyes open and talk to the other players, but who cannot touch them or the rope. What changes when there’s a player who can see, but relies on others to act?

Many of the things we “catch” from one another are due to microbes. Are there other ways we influence the biology of our neighbors? Watch this video to see if you catch a physiological response.