People of all ages found something to catch their eye at the Cosmic Volcano presentation Friday for “Windows on the Cosmos,” hosted by the College of Science as part of the monthly program called “Science Unwrapped.”

Hands-on experiments that taught simple concepts about volcanic eruptions, meteorites, convection currents, identifying rocks and the formation of the continents followed a presentation on volcanoes in the solar system at 7 p.m. Young children crowded the tables to watch and participate in some of the experiments that were led by student volunteers.

While many students said they volunteered beforehand, Shannon Babb, senior in watershed and earth systems, said she got pulled into it just because she showed up early. She ran the Crater Counting exhibit.

“We are teaching people how they can date craters by looking at pictures,” she said, pointing at four black and white printouts of different cratered surfaces. The more craters there are on a planet’s surface, the older it usually is, “except on Earth because of erosion,” Babb said.

Teaching difficult concepts in an uncomplicated manner so that everyone, even small children, can understand was the initial challenge of the “Science Unwrapped” series, said assistant professor Shane Larson of the department of physics. Larson, who is head of the program, said the program began in January under the theme of “Mind and Body” to see if it could get going. They found that the activities after the lecture was what drew big crowds, which usually consist of parents and their children.

“Kids like the hands-on experiments,” Larson said.

Hanging around the Pangaea puzzles were 7-year-old Bridger and his brother, 9-year-old Elliot. Bridger said his favorite experiment was when they dissected pig hearts earlier in the year. Elliot said he enjoyed the rocket launches at last month’s activity.

Blair Larsen, geology graduate student and schoolteacher, stood quietly behind the Convection Currents table as another geology graduate student explained how the red, warm water that bubbled out of the jar through the cold water in the tank represented volcanic magma flowing through earth’s crust to the surface. Larsen joined the “Science Unwrapped” committee after it started and used her experience in teaching to help gear the experiments to child level, Larson said.

The point, Larsen said, is that children and parents will bring home something to talk about.

“We try to have activities where we have multiple ranges of ages,” Larsen said. “We hope it is stimulating conversations at home where the kids are asking their parents questions and learning.”

In the lecture, which lasted for nearly an hour, attendees were taught by geophysicist Tony Lowry, assistant professor in the department of geology. Comparing a volcanic eruption to a hot air-balloon ride, he guided his students on a virtual tour of some of the universe’s volcanic wonders. Jupiter’s moon Io is the hottest in the solar system, he said. Io’s pizza-like surface was formed by deposits left by 3,000 degrees Celsius lava flow. He covered subjects such as the 30-year debate on Mercury’s possible volcanism, the Moon’s formation and Mars.

Lowry had a question in the form of a puzzle for each subject studied, which created audience participation, keeping even the youngest children in their seats. When the lecture ended people hurried out to the Eccles Science Learning Center atrium for the hands-on experiments.

“Stump the geologist” was another activity people lined up for after the lecture. Participants were invited beforehand to bring rocks of their own that needed identifying. Geology volunteers were at tables with the other experiments in the atrium to shed some light on people’s mystery rocks. Nathan Giles, senior in geoarchaeology, examined a softball-size conglomerate rock with little crystals jutting out the side.

“You can tell by the color it’s got a lot of iron in it,” he said.

Giles’ children and their cousins, the Carters, were sprawled on a couch in the atrium by the end of the night.

“I like science,” said 7-year-old Parker Carter. Carter had a painted bat on his face like a mask and big smile as he talked about studying rocks in his backyard.

Andie Giles, 8, said she has a rock collection.

“I liked the craters,” she said.

Impact craters made by meteorites were simulated by having participants throw rocks into trays filled with a mixture of flour and Nesquik powder.

Chessie Carter, 10, and Mackayl Giles, 5, said their favorite part of the evening was the volcano experiment.

A homemade volcano experiment consisting of vinegar and baking soda spewed out of a man-made volcanic mount attracted throngs of children and parents alike. Children were given a chance to pour the baking soda into the dish of red-dyed vinegar, which caused it to bubble and fizz over the sides.

“Windows on the Cosmos” will end Oct. 30 with a presentation about what Albert Einstein called “ripples in space-time,” according to the College of Science’s Web site. The get-together, at 7 p.m. in USU’s Performance Hall, will feature a multimedia performance by composer, musician and multimedia artist Andrea Centazzo.

“Science is something we think we can have everyone embrace,” Larson said.

–la.stewart@aggiemail.usu.edu