This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

‘Tis the season to be out and about! Summer is a great time to go on family bicycle rides in Davis or to pile the bikes in the car and ride along the American River Parkway.

When out on those adventures, do not forget to wear bicycle helmets. At Explorit this summer, visitors are able to learn some basics about the brain and how helmets protect this vital organ which sits inside the cranium and controls one's entire body.

Explorit worked with The Snell Memorial Foundation and the UC Davis Medical Center's Trauma Prevention and Outreach Program to create activities that emphasize the need for bicycle helmet safety.

As part of Explorit's exhibition "From Start to Finish: The Science of Games We Play" visitors have the opportunity to examine a cross-section of a bicycle helmet and see what happens to a helmet after an accident.

"On the outside the helmet looks okay," said Mackenzie Tysell, Explorit's Health in Your World coordinator. "But if you look on the inside, you can see the compression of the foam where the helmet made contact with the ground." The exhibit demonstrates why a helmet should not be used after it has been involved in an accident.

The plastic shield on bicycle helmets is important. Come to Explorit and do an activity to learn more about it. Perhaps this is something you may not have thought about.

Another activity has visitors observe what happens to a model brain when it collides with a stationary object. Visitors have the opportunity to have the model sit in a cart and hit a wall. The difference between a protected brain and an unprotected brain can be observed. The difference is noticeable even to the younger visitors.

Explorit's guests also have the opportunity to learn a bit about the science of bicycles. The gears and wheels on the bicycle transfer the energy from pedaling to useful motion. At a station, plastic gears are available to determine the ratio of the driving gear (the gear with the pedal) to the gear being driven (in bikes this is the rear sprocket).

This information leads to a better understanding of how pedaling works and why some bicycles have derailleurs, which change a gear from one sprocket to another. The activity is simple but can be thought provoking for both children and adults.

So, take some time this week to take a bike ride over to Explorit. Before riding, check out the gears on the bike, notice how the brakes work, and put on your helmet. As you ride, notice the beating of your heart and the increase in your body temperature. As you change gears, think about what makes the pedaling harder and what makes it easier. Think about the balance needed to ride a bike and what the purpose of the chain is. Most importantly though... be safe!

"From Start To Finish: The Science of Games We Play" continues through September 28.

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