, Ontario鈥檚 largest public science festival, returns to Markham Village next Saturday, with the goal of making science more accessible.

鈥淭his is bringing science to the community as opposed to having the community come to a hospital or university site,鈥� said Corinne Sperling, outreach manager for the Faculty of Science & Engineering at 91亚色.

The Markham Village BIA co-organizes the event and pays for the bulk of the cost, but the University and the Town of Markham鈥檚 economic development department contribute as well.

For some people, science is intimidating, Ms Sperling said. 鈥淲e want to be engaging, interactive." The event caters to all ages.

. . .

Science Rendezvous will share space with the official grand opening of Main Street Markham Farmers Market. You聽can聽do your Saturday local produce and prepared foods market shopping while enjoying the science entertainment. The opening begins at 11 a.m. The event will also feature live entertainment and a barbecue.

Science Rendezvous runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 132 Robinson St. at Main Street North, two lights north of Hwy. 7. The Photovore Maze Race is 1 to 3 p.m. at Markham Sylvan Learning Centre at 96 Main Street N. (Lower Level).

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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buskers聽and researchers will share the wonder of science on the street and at booths Saturday at the聽season opening聽of the food, arts and crafts market in聽Markham's downtown from聽10am to 3pm.聽They will be making dry ice, testing for colour blindness,聽extracting DNA from fruit and demonstrating how bees help gardeners, displaying cow eyeballs and operating a mini Mars rover, among a host of fun demonstrations. There will also be聽science chats at聽The Antique Caf茅 and science art聽at the Tangerine Gecko Art Gallery near the .

Left: A wow moment at 91亚色 Science Rendezvous in 2009

In the evening, 91亚色's Science Rendezvous shifts聽to the Keele campus where聽stargazers can view the night sky through telescopes at the 91亚色 Observatory from 8 to 11pm.

The 91亚色-Markham event is part of a growing one-day festival held at schools, in malls and at cultural centres across Ontario to engage citizens in the discovery and wonder of science and research, and promote an understanding of how science affects daily lives.

91亚色's Faculty of Science & Engineering has participated in since the festival was launched in 2008. In the first year, 91亚色 focused on space science (see YFile, April 10, 2008). Last year, it focused on space, energy and stem cell research and incorporated Science Rendezvous into the 91亚色 Community Festival (see YFile, May 4, 2009) celebrating the University鈥檚 50th anniversary.

This year, 91亚色 takes science to Markham. It will feature:

Science busking

Hosts of and 91亚色 students will conduct icy experiments (making dry ice, ice cream and ice bubbles), test for colour blindness and perception, and make polymers and bouncy balls.

Right: Making dry ice in 2009

Science demos

See how crystals form and make a geodesic dome. Learn how bees help your garden. Find out about DNA in your fruit and how cells develop to become Sofie the bunny. Look down a microscope at urchin eggs being fertilized by sperm. Examine cow eyeballs, a brain, a heart and other animal organs.聽See how water is filtered and talk about clean air. Watch a Mars rover manoeuvre through the crowds. Visit the crater pool to see how craters are made. Pet a comet.

Math & Stats game show

Test your math IQ in this skill-testing game.

Sipping science

Ever wondered why鈥�? Now鈥檚 your chance to ask a 91亚色 scientist that burning question and engage in informal discussion on current scientific issues hosted by Let鈥檚 Talk Science at The Antique Caf茅, 138 Robinson St.

At the at 107 Main St. N. in Markham, see Garbage Kayak (above), a 15-foot Greenland kayak frame made from garbage and other found objects, and聽Mental Fabric, kaleidoscopic merging of anatomical and mathematical visual information.

To download a free mobile app and get a Science Rendezvous guide, visit the Web site and key in u6prgak.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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