January 22, 2016 | Hot Science, Cool Talks

January 22, 2016  |  Hot Science, Cool Talks
Six River Watchers participated in the Environmental Science Institute’s Hot Science, Cool Talks event. They were able to show families what they do on a daily basis when monitoring water quality at Austin-area streams. For instance, they demonstrated how to test for pH levels by measuring the pH of household items, such as, milk and diet soda. They showed a sample of filamentous algae, what causes its overgrowth (pollution), and how we can prevent its overgrowth. Another demonstration included the conductivity meter. River Watchers showed how conductivity differs in a sample of distilled water vs. salty water and how you can complete an electric circuit using salt water. After the interactive portion was over, River Watchers attended a lecture from a leading scientist on “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs” and enjoyed celebratory “birthday” cake to celebrate the 100th Hot Science Cool Talk.