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Learners are challenged to discover the relative densities of colored liquids to create a rainbow pattern in a test tube.

In this activity, learners create a cylindrical mirror to see themselves as others see them.

This is a quick activity (on page 2 of the PDF under Butterfly Wings Activity) that illustrates how nanoscale structures, so small they're practically invisible, can produce visible/colorful effects.

In this hands-on botany activity, learners sprout vegetables in film canisters.

In this activity, learners experiment with shadows and light sources to understand the relationship between the angle illumination and the shadow's length.

In this activity, learners will make their own prism and use a glass of water to separate sunlight into different colors.

In this activity about light and refraction, learners make a lens and magnifying glass by filling a bowl with water.

In this activity, learners create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.

In this quick optics activity, learners use a dim point of light (a disassembled Mini MagLite and dowel set-up) to cast a shadow of the blood supply in their retina onto the retina itself.

In "Exploring the Universe: Exoplanet Transits," participants simulate one of the methods scientists use to discover planets orbiting distant stars.

Make a big canvas of iridescent color with pvc pipe! In this Exploratorium Science Snack, you'll need to cut and assemble some PVC pipe, but the pay-off, the soap-bubble canvas, is big.

Align four color transparencies, each one a single color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black), and see a beautiful full color image.

In this activity, learners explore why the sky is blue. Learners model the scattering of light by the atmosphere, which creates the blue sky and red sunset, using a flashlight and clear glue sticks.

In this activity about light and perception, learners create pictures in thin air.

In this optics activity, learners create a ripple tank from household materials to study waves. Learners build the tank and then explore by making various types of waves.

In this optics activity, learners experiment with polarizers (small dark rectangles) to examine light intensity.

In this chemistry lab activity, learners model the colors of fireworks by burning metallic solutions in a flame and observing the different colors produced.

Create an illusion where it appears that your hand has a hole in it. You'll see the results from when one eye gets conflicting information.

In this activity, learners explore the invisible infrared radiation from an electric heater.

In this optics activity, learners explore color by examining color dots through colored water and the light of a flashlight.