As summer transitions to fall, the crisp air and longer nights make for the perfect backdrop for stargazing!

Whether you’re out camping in the mountains, on the coast or in your backyard, here are some spectacular constellations you can see in the night sky this summer.

Discovery Place scientists are sharing tips and techniques that will maximize the capabilities of your smartphone camera and get you set up to take brilliant photos of the night sky!

Have you ever wondered how ancient civilizations dyed their clothing?

Did you know spring showers make for the perfect opportunity to see colorful rainbows?

Are we successfully reducing the waste in landfills and polluting our ecosystem?  

It’s winter in the Carolinas!

In celebration of World Snow Day on January 15, 2023, let it snow!

Constellations in the sky this season.

Fall Leaves Chromatography

Let’s learn about sea-level rise and storm surge right from your kitchen! 

September is National Preparedness Month. Get tips on how to make emergency plans and assemble your own emergency preparedness kit.

Playful experimentation with oobleck to explore the properties of and states of matter.

Although beautiful, flowers' main function is reproduction; creating more plants by growing seeds and attracting pollinators like bees.

Learn the stages of the water cycle and make your own rain gauge!

Ever wonder how large chunks of ice fall out of spring and summertime thunderstorms?

Learn about tornadoes by swirling one in a jar right in your kitchen!

As the Earth revolves, we get different views of constellations. What constellations should you keep an eye out for during the springtime in the Northern Hemisphere?

Create something beautiful out of trash

A Closer Look at Leaves

The first day of spring marks a season of new beginnings. Want to take an active role in exploring or preserving nature? Find out more in this Stay-at-Home Science blog.

You may be surprised by (and probably recognize) some of the living components of your home ecosystem

As part of a collaborative research project Queens University, motion sensitive cameras captured images of various animals in the woods around Discovery Place Nature

How do trees prepare for winter? Find out here!

Make your unique snowflakes and we won’t need freezing temperatures to do it!

Create wet and dry snow in a bowl - it's snow science!

Let's dive in to learn about what squirrels do to prepare themselves for the colder weather.

Ever wondered what happens to all the reptiles during winter? Learn about their strategies to make it through the colder months.

Design your own track fit for a small object using physics concepts.

Learn how a plant’s vascular system works with an experiment you can do right in your kitchen! 

Celebrate World Kindness Day! Be kind to each other, yourself and the world.

Dive into the origins and history of Daylight Saving Time and how to prepare for the time change

Learn more about four main groups of reptiles

Explore similarities in reptiles species

Take a closer look at the living residents at Discovery Place Nature.

Create your own field guide to document your explorations and findings.

Learners will take part in the scientific process to determine the relative amounts of exposure to air pollution.

Find out what makes wetlands in North Carolina so special, how to protect them, and the closest wetland near you.

About 90 percent of the world’s population is right-handed. Why might that be?

If you live in the heart of Charlotte, or in the vast countryside, the area around your home is called an ecosystem!

Blood pressure tells you about the force at which blood pushes against the walls of your arteries or blood vessels.

Though they may break up your lawn, these plants may be more important than we give them credit for.

Looking at a variety of different idioms that have their basis in science

Hydrangeas aren’t just beautiful; they also offer some very cool science lessons!

Today we will be discussing the science of mummification in Ancient Egypt. But first, what is mummification?

There are only two species of venomous snake found in Mecklenburg County, the copperhead and timber rattlesnake.

Research spotlight: An experimental toothpaste that could help those affected by peanut allergies build a tolerance over time.

Before clocks and watches existed, people used sundials to tell time

Here's how you can identify poison ivy (and why you should avoid it)

Get to know a new animal in our biodiversity lab

Meet the Komodo dragon's cousin, the Mangrove Monitor

Brood X is a group of periodical cicadas that only emerge every 17 years

Learn about the different nutrients found in fruits and vegetables and how they help us stay healthy

With candles and fire create a moving seesaw

Did you know you could make paint using flowers?

Learn the square knot, the slip knot and the half hitch

Learn the square knot, the slip knot and the half hitch

Make liquid fireworks in a jar using items you already might have in your kitchen.

Maps have been around for millennia.. and are more reliable than phones!

This fun activity is a great way to learn more about absorption

In order to solve crimes, one must find clues

Microbiology doesn't need to be done in a lab - it can be done at home

It's all about pH with BASF Kids’ Lab!

Make a simple compass out of household materials

Learn more about local turtles, the red-eared slider and the yellow-bellied slider

Make your own fossils out of kitchen items

Discover the latest in The Wonder Lab

Let's make nachos using science

Live with Larry Sprinkle

We celebrate Groundhog Day all month long.

Create a “sweet” rainbow with BASF

Be Sun Safe

Find and make clay from dirt in your backyard

Forecasting Fun

Let's see what happens when we use certain ingredients to create bubbles on a large scale.

The Science of Crystals

Why do mammals have fur, snakes have scales and birds have feathers?

DIY Pet Present

Use watercolor, a white crayon and stencils to create a secret world on your page

Our CNC router in Thinker Space uses subtractive manufacturing to create designs

Tornado Watch

Let It Snow

Wax on, wane off!

A new vision a life with smart lenses

Playing with polymers

Safely find mushrooms in your yard and test them to see what species they belong to

Experiment with Sound

It's a friend, a way to warm up and a way to build fine motor skills

Meet our Marbled Salamander

Geometric string art MAKE activity

You may find one right in your own backyard

Join Leah as she explores the 3 states of matter

Stargazing in November & December

Build your own Snail Terrarium

Painting with Vegetable Scraps

Finger Knitting

Constellation Night Lights

Ectothermic vs. endothermic animals

Fall Foliage with Naturalist Alden

A colorful lesson in reflection and refraction

Explore the science of sound with Krysta

Indicator Species

Make time for brain breaks

A project you can do with a (virtual) partner

You probably didn't know you can make it rain inside

Celebrate the rainy days by setting up a rain barrel

Using science to make butter

Bromothymol Blue is a fun science experiment that helps you learn about pH indicators

A lesson in biodiversity

Join Leah in Thinker Space for this quick tutorial

Get Outside and Learn About Clouds

Mindfulness through Meditation

Operation Beach Clean-Up

Meet the butterflies

Learn how shells play a vital role in the marine ecosystem

Leah talks about all types of energy and how we can look for examples around our houses

Check out some of our favorite animals with sensational senses

Nano knowledge

It's a beautiful day in Freedom Park.

Dissect a flower to understand how they reproduce

Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet

Elliot explains coral propagation

Create art by demonstrating this gravity-defying activity

Get to know our resident Eastern King Snake

Some tips to help you ensure your child is comfortable and protected

What makes the white, fluffy clouds you see above you?

By the books

Miniature Yeast Volcano

Leave your worries behind by making Guatemalan worry dolls

Get your fruit and veggie fix with this simple and yummy smoothie recipe

Dot Art

Sun Safety

On your mark, get set, go!

Paint your perfect pet

Hair-raising humidity 

Join Riana in this video about silkworms

Still staying home? We get it.

Summer Bucket List

Squishy Circuits

Stop the Summer Slide

National Ice Cream Day

Swim Safety

Digestion in a balloon

How do birds build nests?

The coolest thing on the planet

Citizen Science Projects

Plastic Bottle Seed Starter

Gear up for some out of this world reading

Taking flight with coffee filter butterflies

Four lessons your child is learning when you answer their many - many - questions

The buzz about bees

Get the scoop on making your own ice cream or sorbet

Have you ever wondered about the names of these countries?

Bet you didn't know these fun facts about amphibians

How To Raise A World Problem Solver or a Future Scientist? Celebrate Curiosity

Tips for a successful hike

At-home mini weather station for meteorologists in the making

Attract pollinators to your yard with this fun at-home activity

Family fun in the kitchen

Get to know Herbie, our red-footed tortoise

A Lesson on Bernoulli's Principle

Play a game of Eco-Jenga

Cloud formation

See how we care for the iconic bears in Explore More Collections lab

Make your own plankton net

Join Laszlo as he reads Blueberry Bear

Learn about our skeletal and muscular systems by dissecting a chicken leg

Use genetics to create your own alien

Engineering pasta-bilities

Adaptation relay game

The resource games

Paper rockets three ways

How many balloons can we fit into this container of liquid nitrogen?

Make your own hydroponic plant

Compare estivation, hibernation and brumation

Learn how your lungs function with this DIY lung model

Explore how the water from your faucet gets to your house

Join Waffle for a hair-raising look at electricity

Take a virtual tour of Antarctic Dinosaurs the exhibition

Join Riana as she prepares breakfast for our animal residents

Learn about the habits of the heart by measuring your heart rate

Moon phase mania

Did you know alligators have up to 3,000 teeth during their lives?

Explore fruits and vegetables as we learn to “eat the rainbow”

Amp up your artwork with help from the binary number system

Continue learning how to design Projects using Tinker Cad

How to identify a copperhead

Learn how to design projects using Tinker Cad

Use binary code to create (and wear) a secret message

Meet the american alligator

Learn about biomes and adaptations as you create your own critter

Join Natalie as she reads this Dr. Seuss classic

Build your own bird beaks to learn about adaptation, diversity

Follow Alden as he prepares to visit the bee yard

5 tips from a homeschool mom to help you stay sane right now

Acid or base? Make your own pH Indicator and find out!

Join Leah for a tech talk on what you can do Makey-Makey

An a-MAZE-ing look at computational thinking: Fun activity for learners young and old

Ever wonder what a jellyfish is thinking?

Launch your inner engineer with a DIY catapult

A Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing

Make Your Own Upcycled Robot

Learn all about these flashy fish

5 Ways to foster an attitude of gratitude

The importance of nature journaling

Explore your own backyard on the hunt for lichens

Guided Nature Walk

Explore the properties of water right at home

Check out this easy science activity

Video: A Livestream from Our Rainforest

Meet our resident opossum

Try this fun science experiment right at home

Enjoy a peaceful video of our Reef Rubble Community Tank