University of Bayreuth opens doors with the mouse

Offer 1: Ecological-Botanical Garden and CRC 1357 Microplastics

Plastic can save lives, make food transportable and durable, and it makes many things possible in the first place: from felt-tip pens to space stations. The dark side of this versatile material only becomes apparent when it enters our environment. Because plastic in nature doesn't just stay there. It breaks down into small and tiny particles, which are then easily transported back and forth between soil, water and air, where they have a negative impact. At the “Doors open with the mouse” campaign day on October 3, children aged five to ten will learn how plastic is differentiated and what happens when it ends up in the soil and the environment. At four different stations on the topics of soil and water, children can experiment, microscope and research for themselves. Parents can also find out more about microplastics or explore the ÖBG and its greenhouses.

“For us as a collaborative research center, it is very important that we make our research accessible to the youngest and inform children and their parents about the current state of research on microplastics. In this way, we want to contribute to problem awareness and a sustainable understanding of the responsible use of plastics in society,” says Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch, spokesperson for the Collaborative Research Center Microplastics.

When: Thursday, 03.10.2024, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Who: Children between the ages of five and ten
Where: Ecological-Botanical Garden (ÖBG), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth
Meeting point: ÖBG main entrance
Registration is mandatory: https://www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/maus2024/ or by email to Maus.UBT@gmail.com for the automated sending of the registration link

There are three start times for visitors: 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm. Registrations will be checked 30 minutes before each start time and the children will be divided into groups. It will take about 90 minutes to complete the four stations. Please be sure to register your children!

Offer 2: SFB 1585 MultiTrans

Batteries and solar cells have become an integral part of everyday life. Targeted research into such so-called functional materials can revolutionize their performance and thus make them more sustainable. The starting point for such innovations is the observation of the transport flow of electrons, ions, molecules and heat in the materials. At “Doors open with the mouse”, children between the ages of five and ten can immerse themselves in the world of functional materials at three stations of the SFB MultiTrans and become active themselves in experiments: build their own materials from balls and boxes, track transport flows with a laser pointer and light up a digital clock or flashlight with a self-made battery made from potatoes or coins. 

When: Thursday, 03.10.2024, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Who: Children between the ages of five and ten
Where: Polymer Nanostrucutres (PNS) building, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth
Meeting point: PNS main entrance
Registration is mandatory: SFB1585.MultiTrans@uni-bayreuth.de