December 8, 9:30am – 3:30pm: Main’s FIRST® LEGO® League State Championship! The top teams from the regional competitions will be competing in the Championship. The event is free and open to the public to come and watch. The FIRST LEGO League is a cross between a science fair (this year’s topic is about space travel) and a robot competition. You can also volunteer at the event! More information about volunteering: http://www.mainerobotics.org/volunteer-registration.html.
Augusta Civic Center, 76 Community Drive, Augusta[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”2″ el_width=”60″ accent_color=”#a8aa31″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
December 8, 10am – 1pm: Project>
gin presents the 2018 Maine Digital Festival, a MSF Pop-Up Event of the MSF. If you’re excited about coding and computer science, the these FREE Tech workshops are for you! Many activities including scratch, python, code-a-pillar, Dot and dash robots and more! The events are free, but pre-registration required. For ages 7-18.
Augusta Civic Center, 76 Community Dr, Augusta[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”2″ el_width=”60″ accent_color=”#a8aa31″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
December 20, 7:00pm: Science Lectre Series, Remodeling in Our Brain and Nervous System: Connections to Obesity and Diabetes. Obesity, and most cases of diabetes, stem from an energy imbalance whereby we take in more calories than we burn. This simple energy equation is actually quite complex at the physiological level, and involves brain communication with organs and tissues such as the gut, adipose (fat tissue), muscle, and pancreas. This talk will explore how our body maintains metabolic health, how our nervous system remodels in order to regulate hunger and energy expenditure, and what the research evidence tells us about healthy fats in our diet and on our bodies. Join Dr. Kristy Townsend from UMaine to explore how cell research is working on relief from these diseases.
Fridays (December 7, 14, & 21) 7:00pm and Sundays (December 2, 9, & 16), 3:30pm: Mystery of the Christmas Star. Journey back 2000 years to Bethlehem as we seek to discover a scientific explanation for the Star the wise men followed. Investigate possible dates for the birth of Christ and look at recorded sightings of significant historical and astronomical events during this time frame. Explore scientific explanations for celestial objects that could have been remarkable enough to cause the wise men to travel across the desert from Babylon to Bethlehem. Regardless of what the star was, the message of Peace on Earth and goodwill to all still rings true today! $6 for Adults, $5 for UMaine Students/Senior Citizens, $4 for children 12 and under.
Sundays (December 2, 9, & 16), 2pm: Legends of the Night Sky – Orion Take a fun and lighthearted look at the myths and stories associated with the constellation Orion, the great hunter of the winter sky. Orion comes to life in a fun-filled, animated accompanied by narrators Aesop the owl and Socrates the mouse as we follow Orion’s adventures as he grows to manhood, battles mythical beasts, foils the plot of an evil king and wins the heart of Artemis, the beautiful moon goddess. We learn how the constellation Orion was placed in the sky, forever turning overhead throughout the seasons. The program includes a live sky lecture showing where Orion and his companions are located in the Winter Skies. Recommended ages 4-10; $6 for Adults, $5 for UMaine Students/Senior Citizens, $4 for children 12 and under.
Emera Astronomy Center and M.F. Jordan Planetarium, 167 Rangeley Road, Orono[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”2″ el_width=”60″ accent_color=”#a8aa31″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Reminders:
Now open: Film Contestfor Maine middle school students and high school students. Middle schoolers: create a Mock Movie Trailer. High Schoolers: create a short film. More details at the MSF Films page. Films have to be submitted by February 1, 2019. More information: https://www.mainesciencefestival.org/msf-films/