Coolest item by far in this portion of the NY Hall of Science was the Cloud Chamber, an apparatus that uses dry ice and pure alcohol to let us see the paths of cosmic particles, which are passing through and around us all the time. Different particles leave different tracks in the display.
 Simulating the Extreme Environment of a Yellowstone Geyser, where some Life Thrives |
The next best thing about this display is all the speculation it encourages in young minds. This section is all about the myriad extreme environments supporting life, be it feeding on rocks, living around sulfur vents, in geysers, in ice, acidic rivers… whatever the environment, life seems to find a way.
View the complete flickr set here.
Also of note is this nifty DIY Cloud Chamber. Not too complex to build.