Friendly science
Reem Nafie stargazes at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's Planetarium Science Centre
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Clockwise from top left: experiments in light; and in solar- powered toy cars; touching science; an ancient representation of the globe photos courtesy of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
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For centuries Alexandria was one of the foremost centres of science and learning. Indeed, many of our basic understandings of the world were pioneered by Graeco-Roman scientists of Alexandria -- such as Aristarchus, Hipparchus and Ptolemy. One of the earliest proponents of the idea that the earth is not flat and that planets orbit the sun was Alexandrine Aristotle (tutor of Alexander the Great). It was also in Alexandria, in the second century BC, that the astronomer Hipparchus accurately measured the distance to the moon and mapped the position of 1,000 stars.
This heritage has not been forgotten in Egypt's former capital and second largest city. Dwarfed by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's main building on one side and the conference centre on the other, stands the spherical Bibliotheca Alexandrina Planetarium Science Centre (PSC). Deep blue in the morning sunlight, it can't be missed.
According to Hoda El-Mikaty, deputy director of the Planetarium Centre, the importance of the planetarium lies in the fact that it simplifies science for the curious. "Because of Egypt's rigid educational curriculum, children usually grow up thinking that science is a complicated subject. So, the PSC attempts to tackle complicated subjects such as astronomy, physics, electricity, communication and geology." To reach its goal, the planetarium exhibits simple experiments, conducts various lectures and shows videos that enable the public to interact with and relate to science.
The PSC includes not only a planetarium, but a science history museum and an exploritorium. "The PSC aims at establishing scientific culture through a series of scientific shows, exhibits and workshops, available to visitors regardless of their age and scientific background, thus promoting the concept of science centres as educational tools," explained Ayman El- Amir, director of the Public Relations Department in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. According to El-Amir, nearly 42,000 visitors have passed through the science centre in the past year.
The planetarium is "a gigantic world of attractions, where you can discover more about the sky, constellations, moon, stars, galaxies and planets", explained Mohamed El-Sayed, an engineer in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The entrance to the PSC is somewhat hidden and, rather inconveniently, unmarked (you might need to ask someone for directions). After a thorough bag and ticket check, you are allowed to enter through the metal doors, down a dark corridor -- lit by star-like ornaments attached to the ceiling -- then up a flight of stairs into the planetarium.
Visitors relax in padded seats that tilt back slightly to provide a comfortable view of the surrounding screen. Equipped with an IMAX projector -- the first of its kind in Egypt -- visitors watch shows of the stars, moon and the various constellations together with their celestial coordinates.
"The feeling we get sitting in here is great. It's like being in space and touching the stars," said Ali Hamed, an excited 13-year-old. One of the things children enjoy the most in planetarium shows is the simulation of clouds and the sound effects.
When El-Amir was asked why entrance to the planetarium was not free of charge, he explained that "the maintenance and equipment costs are very expensive and LE2 is a reasonable price for Egyptians to pay." He went on to say that "most of our shows are documentaries owned by BBC or The Discovery Channel and so it costs a lot to purchase them, especially if we want to keep our programme up to date."
Down another flight of stairs is the huge U-shaped Museum of Science. Divided into coloured sections, the exhibits take the visitor through the role Alexandria has played in the history of science. For example, that the Greeks, added their reflections to Pharaonic observations, benefiting hugely from the innovations and knowledge of the ancient Egyptians. The visitor is shown diagrams of Pharaonic inventions, such as the shaduuf, a water lifting device still in use, and several Papyri that describe basic rules of calculation.
The third section deals with later Islamic and Coptic scholars, including biographies and discoveries of the major pioneers of science from Herophilus -- who specialised in human dissection -- to Paul of Aegina, who practiced medicine in Alexandria in 640 AD.
According to Ayman El-Sayed, an exploritorium engineer in the library, a fourth section covering modern scientific discoveries will be added shortly.
The museum, however, can be a bit dull for children, so the idea emerged of adding an "exploritorium" to the PSC, providing a more hands-on approach to learning.
El-Mikaty first came up with the idea in 2002 when the library was opened. "The exploritorium was a single room that included a few experiments that students could interact with to give them a better understanding of the concepts of science," El-Mikaty told Al-Ahram Weekly. Due to its success, the library decided to dedicate an entire hall as an exploritorium.
Currently in the works -- to be inaugurated by Mrs Suzanne Mubarak on 12 October -- the new exploritorium will include a multi-exhibition area, a discovery zone, a listen and discover area and a workshop. The first section in the new hall will be the multi-exhibition area for temporary exhibits spotlighting different fields of science. Moving on, the discovery zone is where visitors can interact with more than 70 exhibits in different fields of technology and science. The "listen and discover" area will allow experts to explain and illustrate principles of science and technology, and demonstrate their relevance in everyday life. Visitors will also be able to watch educational films and videos. In addition, workshops will help enhance the formal instruction available in schools and universities, including activities specially developed to provide students with opportunities for learning science outside their classroom in a fun and entertaining way.
"Many students used to enjoy their visits here when the exploritorium was only a tiny room, so I'm sure more school trips will be flooding in after we've expanded," El-Mikaty said optimistically.
The latest addition to the planetarium shows will be "The Human Body", starting next month.
