Extreme Science takes students from some of the largest objects in the universe to materials and structures too small to see with the naked eye. Through interactive experiences, students explore astrophysics, nanoscience, materials, batteries, microscopy, and other areas of scientific research.
Students discover how researchers study systems at dramatically different scales—and how that research can help scientists better understand the universe and develop materials and technologies used here on Earth.
What You’ll Do in the Exhibit
Students explore science at both enormous and incredibly small scales through interactive experiences.
In the exhibit, students can:
Watch a star explode and explore what happens during a supernova.
Peer into the depths of a black hole and learn more about the sun.
Explore extremely small structures and materials.
Examine a ladybug’s wing using an optical microscope.
See examples of objects created at very small scales, including tiny fidget spinners.
Explore how batteries work through an interactive experience.
Supernovae
A supernova occurs when a star undergoes an enormous explosion. These events can become so bright that they temporarily outshine entire galaxies and send material from the star out into space.
Studying supernovae helps scientists learn about stars and the universe. Many of the elements that make up the world around us—and elements found in our bodies, including iron, calcium, and carbon—also exist in stars and throughout the universe.
Explore the Nanoscale
Nanoscience is the study of structures and materials at the nanometer scale. A nanometer is incredibly small: a typical human hair is tens of thousands of nanometers across.
Materials can behave differently when scientists study and manipulate them at this scale. Gold, for example, is familiar as a yellow-colored material, but at the nanoscale it can appear red or purple depending on the size of its structures.
Understanding these properties can help researchers explore new materials and potential applications.
Nanoscience at ORNL
Scientists at ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) create, modify, and study structures at extremely small scales.
Researchers use specialized instruments to examine structures that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These include scanning transmission electron microscopes capable of examining materials at atomic resolution.
By studying materials at these scales, researchers can better understand their properties and investigate how they might be used in science and technology.
Materials in Everyday Technology
Elements and materials have different properties that can make them useful for different applications.
Titanium, for example, is valued for its strength and ability to perform in extreme environments. Lithium is a lightweight, reactive metal commonly associated with battery technologies.
By studying the properties of materials and how they behave, researchers can explore ways to improve technologies and develop new materials for future applications.
Explore STEM Careers
Research spanning astrophysics, nanoscience, microscopy, materials, and energy technologies requires people with different scientific and technical skills.
In the Extreme Science exhibit, students encounter examples of how researchers observe phenomena, use specialized scientific instruments, investigate materials, and analyze the world at scales ranging from the astronomical to the atomic.
These experiences can help students discover the variety of STEM fields and career pathways connected with scientific research.