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Greatest Show on Earth: Big Top Physics USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington DC

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April 27-29, 2012: The University of Maryland MRSEC collaborated with partners to present a fun, science-packed three days at the Convention Center in Washington, DC.

Thousands of visitors engaged in a variety of activities that stimulated their interest in the science of the Big Top. From the force and pressure of a bed of nails to the gyroscopic force of a rotating chair, visitors experienced the physics and materials that make the Big Top come alive.

Visitors learn about gyroscopic forces in a rotating chair
Movement of air through a smoke cannon attracts fascinated crowds
Children learned about force and pressure with a bed of nails
Visitors so excited with the Van de Graaff generators, their hair stood on ends!
Visitors learn about gyroscopic forces in a rotating chair