Day two of Biotech day camp found us in Raleigh again. This time we started on N.C. State's centennial Campus. There we took a tour of the Golden Leaf Biotech center and had a hands on opportunity that colored us purple. We started by splitting into two groups of 15. The first group hit the tour trail while the rest got a chance to change their appearance and their minds about science.
Our youth had the opportunity to tour the building and see where research and real life come together. Our tour showed us how they do research on DNA and cells to create medicines and find useful links between the research and businesses. After learning about clean rooms and super clean rooms, centrifuges, and how they get into cells without destroying what they need it was time for a little experimenting.
4-H took over one of the really neat classroom and learned how to gown up for our experiment, which we understand is one of the first things the college students learn. we started with our heads, because you certainly don't want hair all over your clean lab coat (which is what would happen if you did that at the end). Then we got into our lab coats, booties, gloves and safety goggles. Then we sat down for some serious experimentation. Based on a simple test to check for thyroid disease our youth had the opportunity to pour two chemicals together and count. Very quickly the liquid turned yellow, pink and finally purple (all of this took place in about three seconds). For one duo they repeated the experiment several times before our host determined that the chemicals we were using must be too old to be useful anymore, and must be destroyed. We also got to see how a product that they make there can filter out certain colors like taking the red and blue out of a grape soda and showing us the water that is left behind. It was really neat.
After all of that we watched an animated movie on what happens when you get a little cut and how your blood, especially white cells react. It was really cool to see everything that is in a microscopic cell and how it all works together. It is a smooth process that we are not even conscious of, it gave us a whole new appreciation for how truly amazing our human bodies are.
Of course after all this fun we were a bit hungry. So we hit the campus dinning hall for an amazing lunch. As part of that we got to try the milk and ice cream (again) that we saw how they make the day before at the N. C. State Dairy. I don't think I have ever seen so much milk consumed at one meal in a long time. The food was incredible as we all went back for seconds and even thirds, enjoying the variety of things that they have there.
After being stuffed we took a little drive to the solar house
also on the N.C. State campus near the McKimmon Center. There we toured an amazing house built 27 years ago and shows how relevant solar power was then and today. With the research they do at this house they can advise people what does and does not work, how to best build and position their house to maximize the solar energy potential. This utility bills on this hours run $200-$300 for the entire summer cooling the home and $100 for the winter to heat the home. The home is just over 1,800 square feet and a marvel in solar architecture. Even the garage is a test area for new solar panels and inside there are all different types of alternative fuels and alternative powered items. We learned about everything from facing a house south to maximize the solar potential to the best type of water heater and light bulbs to use. When we left we were thinking of new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and how to create test vehicles for their contests in the spring. It was a lot to think about.
also on the N.C. State campus near the McKimmon Center. There we toured an amazing house built 27 years ago and shows how relevant solar power was then and today. With the research they do at this house they can advise people what does and does not work, how to best build and position their house to maximize the solar energy potential. This utility bills on this hours run $200-$300 for the entire summer cooling the home and $100 for the winter to heat the home. The home is just over 1,800 square feet and a marvel in solar architecture. Even the garage is a test area for new solar panels and inside there are all different types of alternative fuels and alternative powered items. We learned about everything from facing a house south to maximize the solar potential to the best type of water heater and light bulbs to use. When we left we were thinking of new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and how to create test vehicles for their contests in the spring. It was a lot to think about.
Tomorrow we are off to Robeson Community College to work with their Biotech department and learn how they can turn cooking oil into fuel, the importance of bees, etc. Stay tuned for more of our scientific experiment of how science can be fun!
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