Investigate Health! | The Lab

Grab a pair of safety goggles and dive into a hands-on experiment at The Lab. In this exhibit, you’ll take on the role of a scientist and ask questions, make observations, and most important, get your hands dirty! Find out which sodas are the most acidic, what a scab looks like under a microscope, and what you can do to fight the flu.

While you’re here, engage with our team of expert volunteers and find out what it’s like to have a career in science.

Labs change weekly during the school year, and daily during the summer, so check out our experiment schedule to find out what we are investigating today!

The Lab Hours:
Tuesday–Saturday: 10:30–12:30 and 1:30–3:30

July 6 - 10

Tuesday, July 6: Forensic Science

TV programs like CSI show investigators using new science and technology to solve crimes. What technologies are available to real forensic scientists? Learn how hair sampling is used to identify suspects, dust for fingerprints and solve a crime using only a microscope.

Wednesday, July 7: Color-changing Flowers

Ever wonder why flowers come in so many shapes and colors? Have you heard about the race to make the first blue rose? In this lab, we will extract flower pigments and change their colors and examine flowers under a microscope.

Thursday, July 8: Testing Antacids

Friday, July 9: Meet a Scientist: Geology

Saturday, July 10: Healthy Lungs

How strong are your lungs? In this lab, we will listen to our breathing with a stethoscope and measure the volume of your lungs. We will also look at healthy and unhealthy lungs under a microscope and find out how much tar a smoker gets in their lungs in a year.

July 13 - 17

Tuesday, July 13: TBA

Wednesday, July 14: Meet a Scientist: Children's Health Study

Thursday, July 15: Dangerous Decibles

Do you listen to music too loudly? Test different headphones with a decibel meter and find out what volume can damage your ears. Then measure the loudness of your own scream and whisper.

Friday, July 16: Sun Protection

How do you protect yourself from the sun? In this lab, you will use UV-sensitive plastic to test the UV-protection of sunscreens, sunglasses and clothing to find out how well they block harmful rays. Then make a UV-detecting bracelet to take home!

Saturday, July 17: Dino Days Event

July 20 - 24

Tuesday, July 20: Alternative Energy

Wednesday, July 21: Don't Bug Me!

Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito or stung by a bee? Do these insects provide us any benefits? Investigate biting and stinging insects under a microscope and get a close-up view of your own bug bites. You will also meet some live bugs and find out what you can do to prevent bites and stings.

Thursday, July 22: Hurricane Safety

Scientists are predicting a strong hurricane season and it is important to be prepared for a storm to hit our area. In this lab, we will track some historic hurricanes that hit North Carolina and make a hurricane preparedness kit. Then, challenge yourself to build a sturdy structure and see how well it stands in strong wind.

Friday, July 23: Testing the Acidity of Drinks

Most people know that sugary drinks can cause cavities, but acidic drinks can also be bad for your teeth. Use pH paper to test the acidity of your favorite drink and find out which drinks are the worst culprits. Then test the acidity of toothpaste and find out how it helps keep our teeth healthy.

Saturday, July 24: Cleaning Up the Gulf Coast Oil Spill

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to threaten the coastal ecosystem and human health. Scientists are working overtime to stop the spill, contain the oil and clean the water. In this lab, we will test out different methods of cleaning oil from the water, clean oil off bird feathers and brainstorm ways to reduce our own use of oil.

July 27 - 31

Tuesday, July 27 AM: Designing Medicine

When we take medicines, we want them to work quickly! In this lab, you will be a pharmaceutical scientist and design a new medicine! Figure out ways to make the medicine work faster or slower.

Tuesday, July 27 PM: Super Cool Liquid Nitrogen

The liquid nitrogen show is back by popular demand! What makes liquid nitrogen so unique? Come find out in this exciting, engaging and chilly show! We will discover what happens to different objects when they get “super cool.” You’ll get to freeze a flower and smash it, and sample your own liquid nitrogen ice cream!

Wednesday, July 28 AM: Candy Science

What's more fun than eating candy? Experimenting with it! Find hidden colors in skittles and grow a marshmallow to three times its original size.

Wednesday, July 28 PM: Super Cool Liquid Nitrogen

Thursday, July 29 AM: Testing for Vitamin C

Why is it important to get the daily recommended dose of vitamin C? Conduct a series of microtitrations to determine if your favorite drink contains vitamin C. Then compare the vitamin levels in old and fresh juice and find out what happens to juice leave it out for several days.

Thursday, July 29 PM: Super Cool Liquid Nitrogen

Friday, July 30 AM: Forensic Science

Friday, July 30 PM: Super Cool Liquid Nitrogen

Saturday, July 31 AM: Under the Hood

What would you do for a car that is safe, affordable, stylish – and exceeds 100 miles per gallon? Join us at the Under the Hood cart and learn about the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a $10 million contest to engineer the “car of the future.”

Saturday, July 31 PM: Super Cool Liquid Nitrogen

August 3 - 7

Tuesday, August 3: TBA

Wednesday, August 4: TBA

Thursday, August 5: NanoScience: Investigating NanoScents

Friday, August 6: Amazing Animal Skin

Why do different animals have different types of skin? Compare your skin to a snake and a bird using a microscope. You will even get to meet some live animals and compare them with a thermal imager!

Saturday, August 7: Dangerous Decibles