Montana State hosts free NanoDays family science night April 11

March 31, 2011 - PRLog -- On Monday, April 11, Montana State University hosts a free family science night as part of a nationwide celebration called NanoDays.

The theme of the event is nanotechnology, an emerging field in which scientists and engineers study and manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular scale to develop disease-fighting drugs, alternative energy solutions, ultra-strong sports equipment and many other applications. The evening will help both kids and adults understand nanoscience in a fun and easy-to-understand format, including its impacts on society.

The event takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors can stop in at any time for activities and demonstrations such as manipulating magnetic liquid, learning about static electricity, playing with nanosand, and getting a nano tattoo.

All events take place at the Strand Union Ballrooms on the MSU campus. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

At MSU, researchers are using nanoscience to develop targeted vaccines, magnetic materials for electronics, and catalysts for producing hydrogen. Nanoscience is an emerging field that blends chemistry, physics, engineering and other areas of science, and is one of the country's top research priorities.

NanoDays is sponsored by Montana NSF EPSCoR, MSU's Center for Bio-Inspired Nanomaterials, MSU Extended University and the Undergraduate Chemistry Society.

For more information, visit http://eu.montana.edu/nanodays

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Montana State University's Extended University offers workforce training and professional development, science education and public outreach, educational technologies and distance learning courses, degrees and certificates via Montana State Online.