By: Tom Wickersham

EXPLORIT OFFERS PLENTY FOR MARCH MADNESS

You've turned the page on February. Another month has slipped by and we're well on our way into March. Did you do everything in February that you wanted to do?

Don't let March slip by without taking advantage of the many wonderful science events happening at Explorit Science Center and beyond. Grab that calendar and start marking...

"Mars Close Up" will be the subject for Explorit's Astronomy Club meeting on Saturday, March 13. Take advantage of all the recent interplanetary probes to investigate topics from volcanoes to life on the red planet. This free meeting is open to all and begins at 7:30 p.m. If the skies are clear, stay tuned for some constellation observation.

Another great science event in March will take you closer to the beginnings of the universe. Explorit's Cutting Edge of Science Lecture Series continues with Dr. Daniel Cebra's program, "Heavy Ion Physics: Creating Small 'Big Bangs' in the Laboratory," on Tuesday, March 16. Dr. Cebra will present a brief history of the universe and show how recent experiments give us insight into what happens in a "Big Bang." This free lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Davis Senior Center. For more information, call (530) 756-0191.

On March 20, you and your family will have another opportunity to "Meet the Scientist" at Explorit. Cindy Shellito, a meteorologist at UC Davis will be visiting from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. She'll bring lots of hands-on activities about weather patterns and air pressure. This fun, informal program is sponsored by Union Bank of California.

Whether or not you can make the "Meet the Scientist," you can still learn about weather at Explorit's current exhibition, "Weather or Not: Forces Affecting the Earth" which runs through April 11. Drop by during public hours to make your own flood, study the Coriolis effect and investigate all sorts of ways that the Earth's features change.

You might also want to know about other great events in March. Plant a tree or visit Sacramento's Capitol Park on March 7 to celebrate California Arbor Day. Please contact TREE Davis at (530) 758-7337 for more information.

Finally, don't forget to keep an eye out for the blue moon in March. The second full moon in a calendar month, a blue moon, doesn't happen very often, but you'll have the chance to view one on March 31.

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Explorit is pleased to recognize and thank two regional companies, Intel Corporation and Pacific Bell, for their significant contributions in support of Explorit's outreach programs for 1999. Each has contributed funds toward Explorit's flagship program Science in Your World, a family science night that reaches over 15,000 children and adults annually in elementary schools throughout North-Central California.

In addition, Intel's contribution directly sponsors the presentation of Science in Your World programs in 13 elementary schools in the Folsom/El Dorado Hills region, at no cost to the schools and Intel employees will be volunteering at each school's event.

Davis businesses, too, are actively supporting Explorit's science education activities. Special thanks to the following businesses that have recently joined or renewed their Business Alliance for Science membership: Greg Gibbs - State Farm Insurance, Helix Diagnostics, Inc., Hunt Wesson, and USE Credit Union. For more information about the various ways in which businesses can contribute, call (530) 756-0191.

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Explorit Science Center is located at 3141 5th Street in East Davis. The current exhibition is "Weather or Not: Forces Affecting the Earth." Public hours are Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Regular admission is $3; members, teachers (with school ID) and children under 4 are free.