Earthquakes, Lightning Strikes And All That!!!

Take an earthquake and a lightning strike and you'd think you'd have to run for cover. Not so! These are just two of Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre's most popular exhibits.

At Questacon you will experience science as it really is – exciting, fascinating and entertaining. Questacon is an intriguing place packed full of over 200 hands-on exhibits that allow you to have fun and discover some surprising things about science and technology, particularly that science and technology is a part of your everyday life.

At Questacon you can check out the Visions Gallery and find out how the eye sees, how the brain interprets what we see, and how we can be fooled by illusions. You can even see inside your own eye! Or, while you're looking around Visions, you can keep an eye on our pet ant colony.

If watching ants is not your scene, why not check out the Bodyworks Gallery and see how long it will take you to burn off your lunch on our 'Energy bike' and how much energy you use even when you're not doing any exercise!

Take a different look at the world through our robotic microscopes, and see the beauty of opals and the millions of living things inside our bodies. See a tooth, a kidney, even skin cancers of all shapes and sizes in minute detail, and find out exactly why you should Slip, Slop, Slap, every time you go out in the hot Australian sun.

IBM Mathematica also shows you a new way of looking at things by turning the same maths problems that you once thought were boring into hours of fun.

Did you know that the famous magician Houdini used maths to help him escape from impossible situations? You can have a go at tying yourself up and escaping using the same methods with our 'Manacles'. You can also find out just how clever you are at the game of Tic Tac Toe as you tackle it in three dimensions, or have a go at some of our fascinating and mind-bending puzzles.

When you need to give your brain a rest, you can feel the earth move in the Forces Gallery with the earthquake simulator, or even watch lightning strike only centimetres away. This is the safest way to experience the awe of nature's power, and you can do it as many times as you like. You can also discover what it would be like to be an accomplished ice-skater, without even putting on ice skates.

And in the newest exhibition visiting Questacon, NRMA Tomorrow's Drivers, you can explore the science behind road safety. Have a chat with our computer barmaid and find out exactly why you shouldn't drink and drive, check out how fast your reaction times are, discover why stop signs are red and much, much more. This exhibition is a must for anyone about to go away for the holidays, or even about to cross the road.

With all of these things to do and much more, Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre is a great place for people of all ages. So, next time you're in Canberra drop in for a visit. And don't forget that between earthquakes and giant puzzles, you can always take time out to grab a mouthwatering bite at the Science Centre Cafe. And, to give your friends and relatives a taste of the fun you'll have at Questacon, the Questacon Shop has a wide range of some very unusual souvenirs.

Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm, except Christmas Day. It is located on King Edward Terrace in Parkes ACT, and facilities include a Cafe, Shop and disabled access. An admission fee applies.

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