Alan takes on Created in Canada
1. The formation of Niagara Falls
Tuesday, Oct 13
One of the great natural wonders of the world, Niagara Falls has been attracting tourists for hundreds of years. Why did the Falls form where they did? How old are they? How did the Falls form in the first place? And can we recreate the formation of the falls in a big plastic tub, complete with a miniature model of the 'Maid of the Mist'? I am pleased to report that the answer the last question is 'yes', which in turn sheds light on the first three questions.
Join us as we set up at this spectacular location and dabble in the science of geomorphology! (That would be the study of the Earth's landforms and their relation to the underlying geology. If we had a 'Word for the Day', that would be it!)
2. The Power of Steam (in both train and boat form!)
Wednesday, Oct 14
The Prairie Dog Central Railway is home to Canada's oldest operating steam engine, and it's a beauty. The industrial revolution was made possible by harnessing the power of steam, and nothing is more symbolic of that age than the steam engine. Just how does boiling water translate into so much mechanical energy? We look at the steam engine up close, and I build my own little steam-powered boat. And we go for a ride, too!
Many thanks to the amazing team at the PDCR just outside beautiful Winnipeg.
3. Inside the Canadian Light Source
Thursday, Oct 15
The Canadian Light Source (aka the Synchrotron) is a state-of-the-art facility for working with light, from infrared to x-rays. In a building about the size of a hockey arena, scientists from academia and industry around the world used incredibly bright and very-tightly focused beams of light to study material science, analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and more. It's a toolkit fo
r all kinds of science, provided the tool you need is a carefully modulated intense beam of light!
It's all done with electrons accelerated to close to the speed of light. When those electrons change direction, they give off a tiny amount of energy in the form of photons. If you send all those photons, down the same path, you have one very intense light beam. Now THAT'S clever!
4. A salty swim
Friday, Oct 16
In central Saskatchewan, just north of the town of Watrous, rolling hills of the short-grass prairie surround a long narrow lake - the strange and wonderful Little Manitou Lake. Why strange and wonderful? Because it's a saltwater lake.
Like the Dead Sea, the Caspian Sea (which are both lakes, by the way), or Great Salt Lake, Little Manitou Lake is a terminal lake. Water flows in, but doesn't flow out. The only way out for the water is evaporation. Why does that make the lake salty, and why does salt make it easier to float? Well, you'll have to watch to find out!
And be sure to take the drive to Manitou Beach if you're passing through Saskatoon or thereabouts. The town and the people are delightful, and the lake is a great place to float away your troubles!