A Day of Microbes and Mystery at the Liberty Science Center

January 10, 2019 newjerseyisntboring

On a particularly bad weather day in Winter, I traveled to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City to learn about microbes and solve a mystery like the great Sherlock Holmes. I was in for a big adventure on a rainy Tuesday morning!

LSC’s new exhibit Microbes Rule!, which opened in December of 2018, uses trend-setting art to help guests see microbes in a whole new way.

In case you’re unaware of microbes, it turns out every plant, animal and every living thing on Earth depends on microbes. What’s unique about cicrobes is that they’re actually quite beautiful to look, and until now you can only see that beauty in scientific labs. This new exhibit allows you to enter through a giant microscope lens inside a petri-dish-shaped space alive with sound and movement.

Microbes Rule! also features a spotlight on Streptomyces Griseus, an amazing microbe discovered in New Jersey that led to the first cure for tuberculosis and gives soil its earthy scent. After the microbe was discovered at Rutgers University and made available to the public, tuberculosis mortality rates in the U.S. fell to a historic low, saving millions of lives and ending tuberculosis as one of the leading causes of death in America. Oh! And you can smell it! Pretty cool, right?!

One of the highlights of my visit was creating a virtual microbe painting at an interactive touch table that mimics the real tools and techniques of laboratories! Although my artwork did not compare to the gallery of microbial art made by microbiologists, synthetic biologists, and artists…it was a fun experience!

I also got to play around at The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, LSC’s current premium exhibit. In this interactive adventure, you’ll be transported into Sherlock Holmes’ London where you’ll solve a thrilling mystery! You’ll also learn more about fictional detective Sherlock Holmes the star of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous books which have been made into television and films.

When you enter the exhibit you’ll be given a book full of clues to assist you while you’re hot on the trail of solving a remarkable new Sherlock Holmes mystery, written exclusively for this exhibition.

But first, you should learn how forensic experts of today work, operate, and use innovative techniques.

Collect stamps and decode a special message that will send you to 221B Baker St.

Help Sherlock solve a new mystery by learning how to spot clues before he sends you on a mission to explore a crime scene!

While at the crime scene you can discover and decipher clues just like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson! It’s a fully interactive experience, but remember things are not always what they seem!

Once you solve the mystery, you can explore a room full of all things “Sherlock” – the perfect spot for pop culture enthusiasts! The collection includes vintage Sherlock-themed card games, comics, and magazines; props from the Warner Bros.’ current Sherlock Holmes movie sets; and costumes and props from the hit TV shows, Elementary and Sherlock.