Saturday lineup features Spicy Science‚ and sci-fi novelist Robinson

Explorit Science Center will go from hot to hotter Saturday in separate programs that focus on fascinating extremes.

In the afternoon, visitors will learn about red-hot chili peppers in a Family Exploration program called "Spicy Science." And in the evening, novelist Kim Stanley Robinson will talk about global warming and saving the planet Earth in a free public lecture sponsored by the Davis Astronomy Club at Explorit.

Start off your Cinco de Mayo celebration by exploring the science of spiciness. Recent archeological evidence shows that thousands of years before picante sauce became a staple in our cupboards, ancient peoples throughout the Americas were cultivating these peculiar peppers to liven up their meals. In this Family Exploration, learn more about the fascinating past of the pepper and try your hand at dissecting one, too.

Also explore a little bit about the chemistry behind the spice. The spicy sensation comes from a family of chemical compounds called capsaicinoids found in every pepper. Scientists have even come up with a spiciness measurement system called the Scoville Scale, which was created by asking tasters to eat diluted pepper solutions and report when their mouths stopped burning. The habanero pepper is one of the hottest, some measuring upward of 1.5 million Scoville units. By comparison a peporcini is only 100 units.

Finally, take a moment to put your own taste buds to the test. Taste for yourself how your mouth senses different flavors. But don‚t worry, the habaneros won‚t be on the Explorit menu tomorrow. The program runs from 1-4 p.m. and is free with paid admission: $4 general, free for ages 3 and under.

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Novelist Robinson will speak at 8 p.m. upstairs at Explorit's new site at 2801 Second St., He is perhaps best known for his epic tale about the colonization of Mars. The award-winning "Mars" trilogy; "Red Mars," "Green Mars," and "Blue Mars." all published in the 1990s; span three centuries, and the characters work to effect climate change on a massive scale to make the planet warm enough to support life.

The efforts to make the planet livable are called terraforming. After Robinson finished the Mars books and reports of global warming gained intensity, he began thinking about a new series of books. Rather than reshaping an alien landscape until it resembles Earth, he decided to explore the possibility of using terraforming techniques to mitigate environmental damage on Earth. The final installment, "Sixty Days and Counting," was published in February, preceded by "Fifty Degrees Below" (2005) and "Forty Days of Rain" (2004).

Robinson writes about really ingenious ways of thinking through problems, and "he doesn't use just biological and geophysical science he also touches a little on some of the politics, cultural and social issues how we see ourselves and how we can work through these things," says Christal Waters, a Robinson fan and Astronomy Club member who arranged the program. "He relies heavily on science to provide options for government choices" in confronting the challenges of climate change.

Anyone interested in science, astronomy and/or global warming is encouraged to attend.

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Explorit is accepting applications for Summer Science Teaching Assistants. The volunteer positions are open to individuals ages 13 and up. Teaching assistants aid Explorit‚s educators at the center‚s Summer Science Camps, in which children develop an understanding and appreciation of science through hands-on activities.

Camps run June 18-Aug. 24. Volunteers should be able to work at least 20 hours a week for at least two weeks (not necessarily in a row.) Shifts available are Mondays-Fridays from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. or 1:15 to 5:15 p.m. A completed application, informal interview and letter of recommendation are required.

For more information or to apply, call Kristin Sizemore at (530) 756-0191 x 100 or email her at Kristin@explorit.org.

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Explorit Science Center is open at its new site, 2801 Second St., Davis. Through June 10, you can visit the exhibition "Looking Up: The World Above Us." Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information: www.explorit.org or (530) 756-0191.