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Science Experiments for Kids:

Science experiments you can do at home!  Explore an ever growing list of hundreds of fun and easy science experiments. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for science fair project ideas. Explore experiments by category, newest experiments, most popular experiments, easy at home experiments, or simply scroll down this page for tons of awesome experiment ideas!

Lava Lamp - April 2018

Making A Volcano:

Acids and Bases Can Erupt in Your Faces

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Orange Fizz:

Dry Erase - March 2018

Awesome Experiments:

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New Experiments:

Check Out Our Newest Experiments

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Top Experiments:

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Easy Experiments:

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Storm In A Glass:

Home Made Play Dough - July 2014

Home Made Play Dough:

Snow Fluff - December 2017

Snow Fluff:

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Snow Globe:

Squishy Turkeys - November 2017

Squishy Turkeys:

Rainbow in a Glass! - May 2017

Rainbow in a Glass:

Sizzlin' Snowballs - December 2016

Sizzlin’ Snowballs:

Jello Lenses - August 2018

Jello Lenses:

Ice Fishing - July 2018

Ice Fishing:

Super Cool Soda - Sept. 2017

Super Cool Soda:

Jack-O-Cano - October 2016

Jack-O-Cano:

Dancing Hearts - February 2015

Dancing Hearts:

Marbled Gift Wrap - December 2018

Marbled Gift Wrap:

Massive Expanding Soap - July 2017

Massive Expanding Soap:

Surface Tension Art - February 2017

Surface Tension Art:

Fizzy Fruit

Fizzy Fruit:

Rotting Pumpkin

Rotting Pumpkin:

Explode A Bag

Explode A Bag:

Rotting Pumpkin

Invisible Extinguisher:

Paper Hovercrafts

Paper Hovercrafts:

Fun Fossil Stamps - April 2017

Fun Fossil Stamps:

Ping Pong - October 2018

Cool Crystals:

Balloon Pop! Not! - January 2017

Balloon Pop! Not!

Solar Eclipse Kit - Aug. 2017

Solar Eclipse Kit:

Moldy Apples - September 2016

Moldy Apples:

Cool Off Volcanoes

Cool Off Volcanoes:

Vinegar Pops - June 2016

Vinegar Pops:

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Make It Rain:

Black Light Blue Beverage - October 2015

Black Light Blue Beverage:

Changing of the Leaves - September 2015

Changing of the Leaves:

Snowflakes - December 2015

Snowflakes:

Egg Drop - November 2015

Water Fireworks:

The Mind of a Student - August 2015

Mind of a Student:

Balloon Speakers - May 2016

Balloon Speakers:

Polar Bear Blubber - January 2016

Polar Bear Blubber:

Gorgeous Gooey Gobstoppers - February 2016

Gorgeous Gooey Gobstoppers:

Olympic Medals - August 2016

Olympic Medals:

Dyed Flowers - May 2015

Dyed Flowers:

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away Gauge - April 2015

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away Gauge:

Blossoming Beans - March 2015

Blossoming Beans:

Sun Dial - January 2015

Butter Fingers:

Polishing Pennies - September 2014

Polishing Pennies:

Dancing Liquid - October 2014

Dancing Liquid:

Floating Egg - April 2014

Floating Egg:

Bendy Bones

Bendy Bones:

Pot of Gold - March 2016

Pot Of Gold:

Layers of Liquids - May 2014

Layers of Liquids:

Crystal Candy - March 2014

Crystal Candy:

50 of the Best Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids

  • February 10, 2021

So you have a science fair coming up at school and want to make a project that’s sure to win a prize ribbon? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Choosing the right project requires plenty of research. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best science fair projects ideas to help you along your search.

50 STEM Experiment Ideas for Kids

These 50 science fair project ideas are all great for kids- early and older elementary school students, with a few suitable for middle school students as well. Make a topic that fascinates you, come up with a hypothesis, and see what happens next!

Plus, once you’ve chosen your topic, use this science fair project how-to video from NASA as a helpful guide.

Important note: Some of these science fair projects require the help or supervision of an adult. Always make sure an older family member is nearby and knows what you’re doing as you work on these projects.

1. With this science fair experiment , you can learn what factors affect melting ice.

2. Try this magic milk experiment for an easy science fair project that younger students can accomplish.

3. How much sun does a seed need to sprout? Discover the answer by trying this project you can easily complete from home.

4. Build your own water clock and see how well you can get it to measure time.

5. If you’re interested in a little microbiology, try out this egg cell experiment .

6. What’s the best way to prevent apples from browning? Find out for yourself and make sure to record the results.

7. Do birds eat more food if it is a certain color? Find out with this intriguing experiment .

8. Discover how clouds turn water vapors into rain and diagram a few common types of clouds through this kid-friendly science fair project .

9. Make your own plant cell model using styrofoam and playdough.

10. Learn about aerodynamics by experimenting with paper airplane shapes and seeing which one flies best.

11. Learn how to accelerate the rusting process with this quick and thought-provoking science project .

12. Want to learn about water and density for your project? Perform this floating egg experiment and try out the follow-up questions at the bottom.

13. This project about bending light is perfect for older elementary school students who want to dip their toes into physics.

14. This biology-based science experiment asks, “Will plants grow towards a specific light source?”

15. Learn about greenhouse gases with this science fair idea .

16. Experiment with what makes fruit ripen quickly and write down your results to present at your science fair.

17. Use this hands-on experiment to explore how carbonated drinks affect teeth.

18. Which factors affect evaporation? Find out for yourself with this project that’s perfect for students who can complete it with a little adult supervision.

19. Find out which types of toothpaste work the best and, after measuring your results, try and come up with a conclusion.

20. If the weather is warm out during your science fair, try building a solar oven .

21. For a simple chemistry project , you can make sugar crystals and see what material works best for growing them.

22. Which common material is the best heat conductor? Find out with this science fair project that can be done with adult supervision, as it needs boiling water.

23. Craft your own thermos bottle and test it out for a project all about insulation.

24. Make a DIY thermometer and test it out for a practical and hands-on science project.

25. Try this celery experiment to learn how plant capillaries work.

26. How does the air temperature affect movement? Try one of these fun science fair project ideas as a model for your own experiment.

27. If you’re passionate about the environment, try this recycling experiment for your science fair project

28. How does paint color affect drying time? Make your predictions and test it out for yourself.

29. Learn which soil is best for growing tomatoes if your science fair takes place during warm weather.

30. Build your own lemon battery and see if you can get it to work to learn about electricity.

31. If you want to try the epitome of science fair projects, try making a science fair volcano.

32. How much sugar is in different popular foods? If you’re interested in health science, try this fascinating experiment .

33. If you’d rather look at prompts and create your own project, use these science fair questions for inspiration.

34. Does music affect plant growth? Discover for yourself with this project .

35. Do you need science fair project ideas that will encourage others to recycle? Learn about how to make your own paper .

36. If you have a few furry friends in your neighborhood, consider testing if dogs are colorblind with this project .

37. How does temperature affect air pressure in a ball? Find out the answer with this sporty science project .

38. Build your own pulley and see what kinds of objects you can make it carry.

39. Learn a little about chemistry with this science fair experiment that asks which paper towels are the most absorbent.

40. What is the dirtiest spot in the average home? Find the answer by cultivating bacteria growth in this experiment .

41. Discover how to test thermal energy by observing water temperature.

42. Can you grow seeds with liquids other than water? Find out with this kid-friendly science experiment .

43. This Sun or Shade science fair projec t is perfect for elementary school students.

44. This cool science fair project asks an intriguing question about insect biology: what sweetener do ants prefer?

45. Make a working model of lungs for a science fair project that’s sure to fascinate.

46. Want to try a science fair project that can only end with tasty treats? Bake some cookies and try one of these sweet experiments .

47. Interested in astronomy? Try out this experiment that teaches why the moon’s shape seems to change every day.

48. What are the effects of disinfectant on germs? Use this science fair project as inspiration for your own.

49. Put your math skills to the test with this science fair project centered around the game tic tac toe.

50. What’s stronger: magnetism or gravity? Find out with this science fair experiment that’s perfect for early elementary students.

More Resources articles

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Ideas to Celebrate National Library Week and Encourage a Young Writer Day 2024

Inspiring young children to read, share stories, and write can help them build skills that will stay with them for years to come. April is

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15 of the Best Math Picture Books for Kids

Math is around us everywhere, from the addition used when counting toys to the geometry of spotting shapes in the clouds. When you’re making a

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Family Guide: Early Learning & Development Standards by Grade

Back-to-school season is such an exciting time for young learners. It’s the beginning of a year full of new milestones to come, including learning skills,

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End Bullying: October is National Bullying Prevention Month

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Six Picture Books & Chapter Book Guides to Celebrate Black History Month with Young Students

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MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Awards Waterford.org a $10 Million Grant

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  • Why We’re Unique

Make a Volcano Model

Introduction: (initial observation).

When a volcano erupts, large masses of molten rocks along with smoke and dust exit the top of the volcano known as vent.

Have you ever wondered why these materials come out of a volcano?

Can it be caused by the underground pressure of gases?

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In this project you learn about the parts of a volcano, different kinds of volcano and volcanic eruption. You will also make a model of a volcano and display the eruption process and the release of lava or magma caused by the pressure of gases.

This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “Ask Question” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “How to Start” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Information Gathering:

Find out about volcanoes. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about the causes and the locations of volcanoes. Keep track of where you got your information from.

Following are samples of information you may find:

A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where a substance, usually magma (molten rock of the Earth’s interior) erupts. The name “volcano” originates from the name of Vulcan, a god of fire in Roman mythology. The study of volcanoes is called vulcanology (or volcanology in some spellings).

The Three Big Ones The last three volcanic eruptions to cause major loss of life were Krakatoa, Indonesia, where 32,000 were killed in 1883; Mt. Pelee, Martinique, where 29,000 were killed in 1902; and Nevada del Ruiz, Colombia, where 23,000 were killed in 1985. Fiery lava was not the culprit in any of these disasters. Details…

A volcano constitutes a vent , a pipe , a crater , and a cone .

The vent is an opening at the Earth’s surface.

The pipe is a passageway in the volcano in which the magma rises through to the surface during an eruption.

The crater is a bowl-shaped depression at the top of the volcano where volcanic materials like, ash, lava, and other pyroclastic materials are released.

Solidified lava, ashes, and cinder form the cone . Layers of lava, alternate with layers of ash to build the steep sided cone higher and higher.

Source…

Information about volcano models are available at: _ http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_models/models.html _ http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/854444893.Ch.html _ http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Input/lahr/taurho/volcano/volcano.html _ http://www.rockhoundingar.com/pebblepups/volcano.html _ http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ekrauss/ _ http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/volcano.html

Question/ Purpose:

We want to see what happens that a volcano erupts. A review of current and past volcano eruptions indicates some kind of under ground pressure that forces the lava out of a volcano. Can we simulate such underground pressure?

Identify Variables:

We use different kind of material that may release gas and create a display similar to a real volcanic eruption. Such material and their quantity are our variables.

Hypothesis:

Baking soda and Vinegar can produce enough gas to simulate a volcanic eruption.

Experiment Design:

Mix baking soda and vinegar in a plastic bottle in different ratios and see which combination and rates of mixture will create the most foam and is the best for a volcanic eruption display.

After you find the best setup and combination, cover the bottle by papers, aluminum foil, clay and other material to make it look like real volcanic mountain. So in the center of your volcano model will be a bottle with chemicals that create the eruption.

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In your first experiment use a small cup of vinegar and start adding baking soda to that. Initially baking soda will release gas as soon as it gets to the vinegar. But if you continue, at some point there will be no gas any more. In this way you record the amount of baking soda and vinegar that create gas with each other.

In the second experiment check to see which substance must be at the bottom to create a better and faster reaction, baking soda or vinegar.

In the third experiment add some liquid detergent and some red food coloring to vinegar before reaction with baking soda. Liquid detergent may help the foams last longer and food coloring gives a better look to the erupting volcano. You may also add some flour to the baking soda that you are using to create a more viscose lava.

When the chemical composition is experimented successfully, mount the bottle on the center of a card board and cover it with newspaper and aluminum foil to look like a real volcano.

Baking soda and vinegar are frequently used for volcano projects simply because they are easily accessible and less dangerous. Personally I prefer other methods that create better display and of course have more risk. In one example you fill up your volcanic cone with Ammonium bichromate and light it up at the display. Ammonium dichromate is a flammable solid and burns very similar to a volcano. It has a nice display and creates a lot of smoke. Use heavy aluminum foil to cover your card board and construct your cone and do your display in an open area. If you want to do this, make your volcano as small as possible (about 2″ high).

The other method that I like is using a solid acid instead of vinegar. Citric acid for example, specially if you get it in powder form can be a good choice. You can mix it dry with baking soda, paint powder such as Iron oxide (red) and detergent powder. So when you are ready to do your demonstration you just add some water and reaction starts.

Need a volcano related graph for your display?

If you need a graph as a part of your display, you must first come up with a question that its answer or data are in the form of a table. You will then gather the information and fill up your data table. Finally you can use your data table to draw a graph.

Following are some sample questions.

What are the numbers of active volcanoes in different continents?

For this question your data table will look like this:

How many volcanoes are there in each state of USA?

You can use the following website for data that you need.

http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/world/

Materials and Equipment:

  • Plastic bottle (Wide mouth, 5 to 9 inches tall)
  • Baking soda
  • Liquid detergent
  • Food coloring (red)
  • Aluminum foil
  • Masking tape

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Experiments showed that the reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates some gas, but it is not fast enough to create a violent reaction and simulate a real volcanic reaction. We can stir or shake the mixture to create more gas, but it is not very realistic to shake a volcano to cause eruption.

To speed up the reaction we must fill up the plastic bottle with baking soda while leaving an empty hole in the center of that for adding vinegar.

This hole should be as wide as possible so your bottle will hold more vinegar than baking soda. To do this you need to make paste of baking soda. Take one spoon liquid detergent, two spoons water, a few drops of food coloring and start adding baking soda slowly while mixing. Continue adding baking soda until you get a sticky paste. If your bottle is very small and your volcano is small too, this should be enough. For larger bottles you may need to repeat this part to make more paste. Apply a thin layer of this paste to the inner sides of your bottle (about 1/4″ tick).

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The reason that we add liquid detergent is that bobbles are unstable and disappear very fast. Liquid detergent will make bubbles last for a few seconds. Do this a few times and add vinegar to see how much foam comes out. After a few experiments you will be ready for your final product.

When your bottle is ready for final volcano, take a card board and using a masking tape secure the bottle in the center of the card board. Before you start building your volcanic mountain around the bottle, you may also want to use some glue or masking tape around the neck of the bottle. This will prevent the foam from going inside your mountain.

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You can almost use anything that can look like a mountain to cover your bottle. I used some packing paper and cut a cross on the center of that to make it easier to be attached to the neck of the bottle.

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Cover the bottle with your mountain material such as paper or aluminum foil and paint it. Since my paper was not large enough, I has to use some extra magazine paper to give more body to the mountain.

Before painting, cover the the bottle with something to make sure that paint will not enter the bottle. I used spray paint, but you can use any latex paint as well. (Don’t add water).

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I painted my volcano in the backyard, spray paints release harmful fumes and it’s better not to use them inside a building. While the paint was still wet, I also spread some sand to make it more natural. Paint will act like a glue and holds sand in place.

When your volcano is ready and it is your turn to display, fill up a small bottle or a test tube with vinegar and pour it in to your volcano. The eruption will start in a few seconds and lasts for a few minutes.

Remember you can do it only once and when the volcano erupts, it gets wet and you can not repeat your display unless you build everything from the beginning.

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Final display that will last only a few seconds may look like this. As you notice I did not use food coloring and my lava is white. Also I used black color to paint the mountain that is not the best choice. If you have enough time for your project, you may use multiple colors and food coloring to get a better display.

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Calculations:

Calculate what ratio of baking soda and vinegar produce the most gas.

Summery of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did. The pressure of underground gases in a volcanic mountain will force the molten material out of the volcanic mountain.

Related Questions & Answers:

Q. How can we make a volcano that errupts more than once?

A. Instead of attaching the bottle to the base board, make and attach a cylinder from heavy paper that can hold the bottle. In this way you will be able to remove the bootle for refill or just use a second bottle that you have already prepared to repeat the erruption test.

When you do one eruption experiment, your volcano will get wet. So for multiple eruptions make your volcanic mountain from more durable material. Heavy paper with lots of paint can resist a few tests, but for more tests, make your volcanic mountain from plastics, aluminum foil, wood or even chalk (Plaster of Paris) that will be much heavier.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

Other receipes attached may also give you new ideas on how to make your model.

Model Volcano Project

James Signorelli

Dwight Morrow High School

Science Department

The purpose of this project is to produce a model that simulates the building processes found in actual volcanoes. These processes include the layering of ash from the eruption to builds the cinder cone. They also show how the mass of the cone in time causes the Caldera to form when the crater collapses in on itself. A model can also be made that simulates the violent eruptions of a composite volcano. For this model, additional chemicals are required to produce the violent explosive eruption responsible for hurling dust and pyroclastic bombs into the air.

Phase #1 – the mountain

A. Obtain a piece of thick corrugated paper and line with several layers of aluminum foil. This is your primary fire shield.

B. Place a large, ceramic crucible in the center of the board and anchor with wall board joint compound. [available from Home Depot at $ 10.00 / 5 gallon pail]

C. Make a skeleton of the mountain with shaped layers of corrugated paper in the form of a top-o-graphic map.

D. Cover the layers with the wall board joint compound until your mountain has the desired shape.

E. Allow model to dry for several days. You may scratch in detail such as ravines and depressions before the plaster hardens. Plaster has a natural tendency to shrink and crack, adding realism to the surface of the model.

F. Paint the model by first spraying with BBQ black. Use Tempera paint for all other detail.

Phase #2 the chemicals [cinder cone model]

Perform this Demonstration in a fume hood or outdoors for proper ventilation. Treat the ash as hazardous chemical waste and recycle for proper disposal. Vacuum or sweep up all ash.

A. Obtain Ammonium Dichromate from the chemical storage area of your school. It is stored in the oxidizer cabinet.

B. Place approximately one table spoon of Ammonium Dichromate into the crucible.

C. Light the chemical with a match and step back. The effect is more graphic in a darkened room.

D. The orange Ammonium Dichromate burns in a firey plume (fountain) into chromic oxide, a green colored ash.

E. The ash builds layer upon layer to form the cone.

F. As the ash cone reaches higher and higher, it becomes unstable and collapses in on itself to form the broad Caldera, from the crater.

Phase #3 the chemicals [composite volcano model]

This model requires the use of an explosive mixture of chemicals. Do Not use more than ½ teaspoon and do not pack it into the crucible.

A. In a non-flammable container, mix equal parts of table sugar and Potassium Chlorate. Stir, do not use a mortar & pestle.

This mixture does not like friction !

B. Place approximately ½ teaspoon of the mixture into the large crucible.

C. Completely cover this mixture with the Ammonium Dichromate as in the Cinder Cone model. None of the sugar mixture should be visible. This works best if ¾ inch or more of the dichromate crystals covers the sugar mixture.

D. Light the model as in phase #1. Stand back! When the dichromate eventually reaches the sugar layer, the volcano becomes Mt. Saint Helen. The carbon balls (pyroclastic bombs) land several inches from the model. The center of the cinder cone is blown away, producing a very wide crater. If you dont tell the students that this final reaction is due any minute, the surprise really gets their interest!

Please& Use professional judgement.

Dont allow students to handle any of the chemicals.

Practice safe use of all chemicals

Start with small quantities and develop your learning curve before trying this in front of a class.

Treat all fuel, ash and waste as a hazardous chemical. Dispose of properly.

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • Red food color
  • 2 generous drops of dish washing soap
  • 2 tablespoons of baking soda

Build a volcano of clay around a container that is thin and tall. You can use an empty tin can. You cut the top off a soda bottle or use pint milk cartons. Instead of clay you can mix flour with water into a paste and let it dry. Plaster of paris is also good for the outside. Mix the liquids together. When 2 tablespoons of baking soda are added a bright red foamy lava comes out.

Experiment:

  • Present two clear containers (bottles, jars,) of equal volume and shape. Add 1 cup of vinegar to each container. You will need a tray to catch the overflowing foam.
  • In one container add the drops of dish washing soap. Do not add any soap to the other.
  • Measure the tablespoons of baking soda into two other cups so that it can be dumped into the two containers of vinegar at the same time.
  • Have the students name the only difference between the mixtures in the two containers. (One has soap.)
  • Have students speculate or predict in writing if the two will appear different or not and what we will see.
  • Dump the baking soda from the cups into the containers at exactly the same time.
  • Have students read what they wrote and use adjectives to describe how the two mixtures are different. Does one formula last longer? What was the only difference between the two cases?

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It is always important for students, parents and teachers to know a good source for science related equipment and supplies they need for their science activities. Please note that many online stores for science supplies are managed by MiniScience.

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Citizen Science Projects

Learn about how you can participate in citizen science projects.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science

Photo: Students study soil on a wooden desk.

Photograph by Kelly Thayer, MyShot

Did you know snapping mountain-top photos of smog and listening for frog calls can help scientists? Get ideas for how you can participate in citizen science—projects in which volunteers and scientists work together to answer real-world questions and gather data.

Consider also enrolling in National Geographic's free online course, Learning Through Citizen Science . Educators will gain experience with global citizen science and learn from National Geographic Explorers how to engage students of any age. Sign up for the course in English  here  or in Spanish here .

Photo: A red bird with black wings on a branch

Bird Census

Join the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count and contribute to a wildlife census that will help scientists assess the health of bird populations.

Red-tailed hawks hunt from a carefully chosen perch, usually a tree branch, fence post, or telephone pole located along the edge of an open field. They dive with their legs stretched behind them and their wings open.

Celebrate Urban Birds

Observe birds in an urban neighborhood for the Celebrate Urban Birds project, and send the data to scientists at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Photo of a bird's nest with eggs.

Monitor Bird Nests

Join NestWatch , a continent-wide project to monitor bird nests. The project was started by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

Photo of a horseshoe crab.

The Horsehoe Count

Join The Horseshoe Count , a survey that gets volunteers to count horseshoe crabs during spawning season at beaches in Delaware and New Jersey.

Photo of a butterfly on a flower.

Butterfly Census

Contribute to a census of the butterflies of North America—in the United States, Canada, and parts of Mexico. Participate in a one-day butterfly count in your area for the North American Butterfly Association .

Photo: Star explosion

Search Space

Want a chance to have an interstellar dust particle named after you? Help NASA by volunteering for Stardust@home and searching images for tiny interstellar dust impacts.

idea image

World Monitoring Day

Celebrate World Water Monitoring Day . Use a test kit to sample local bodies of water for water quality data and share the results with other communities around the world.

Close-up photo of a yellow-green frog.

Frog and Toad Populations

Survey frog and toad populations in your area by participating in the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program , which will teach you how to identify frogs and toads by their calls.

Illustration: Red-winged blackbird

Count Birds

Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count , an annual event that gets bird watchers to count birds across the continent and then tallies the highest number of birds of each species seen together at one time.

Photo of flowers on a mountaintop.

Observe Appalachian Flowers

Monitor the timing of plant flowering in the Appalachian Mountains as you hike trails. The Appalachian Mountain Club will use the data as part of a study to understand how changes in climate are affecting mountain flora.

Four monarch butterflies flutter around a set of flowers.

Survey Monarch Populations

Help the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project collect long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed. Volunteer to conduct surveys in your local area.

As a NG Your Shot Photo Walk leader and Bioblitz Inventory leader in Hawaii Volcano National Park, Chris showed local Hawaii youths the importance and beauty of small insects. Chris Johns photographing the Hawaiian Leaf Miner Project.

Learn About Local Plants

Join the National Phenology Network 's plant monitoring program. Learn about plant species in your area and record your observations about observable phases in the annual life cycle of plants.

Photo of a flower blossom.

Observe Plant Life Cycles

Join Project BudBurst to gather environmental and climate change information in your local area. Observe the life cycles of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses to see when they have their first leafing, first flower, and first fruit ripening.

Fold mountains found in West Virginia

Take Mountain-Top Photographs

Be a visibility volunteer for the Appalachian Mountain Club . If you live or hike in states from Maine to Virginia, you can take photographs from a mountain view to help scientists study air quality and haze pollution.

Photo:  Measurements being taken of large hail stones

Collect Weather Data

Volunteer to join the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network . The data you help collect will be used for weather forecasting and monitoring, severe weather alerts, and climate studies.

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Classify Galaxies

Do what a computer can't! Join the Galaxy Zoo project to help scientists classify galaxies according to their shapes.

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Bird Feeder Stakeout

Help Project FeederWatch with a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locations in North America.

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Join eBird , an online checklist project created by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Ebird allows people to report real-time bird sightings and observations.

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Participate in a Field Survey

Be a part of an international effort to identify populations of an invasive plant—garlic mustard—in the Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey .

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Observe Coral Bleaching

If you live in Hawaii, join Eyes of the Reef Network to help monitor and report on coral bleaching and disease and marine invasive species.

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Measure Night-Sky Brightness

Join the Globe at Night program in documenting light pollution by submitting data based on the visibility of constellations.

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Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Love the water and being outside? Get in touch with your state’s local water resource office  to find out how your class can volunteer for various projects like tree-planting or oyster-growing. Even if your class cannot do something hands-on, they can promise to take action signing the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint pledge , or something similar for your area.

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Observe Wildlife Anywhere

Photograph plants, animals, and other organisms on your own or as part of a BioBlitz . Use the  iNaturalist app or iNaturalist.org to upload your observations and add them to a global database of biodiversity to support local to global research projects.

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Document How Landscapes Change

Change in the environment happens gradually, so you can help tell the story by uploading a photo to Chronolog . Chronolog creates time lapses of important ecosystems to better understand how these landscapes are changing.

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Exoplanet Watch

Discover strange new worlds and help NASA scientists as they search for planets outside our solar system with Exoplanet Watch .

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All Science Fair Projects

1000 science fair projects with complete instructions, find science fair project ideas from our collection of 1000+ stem projects, which school grade are you in.

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Magic Science Experiments

Magic Science Experiments

Lemon Juice Invisible Ink

Rock Science Projects & Intro to Rocks

My Pet Rock in the Rock Cycle

Solar System Projects & Intro to the Solar System

Oreo Moon Phases

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Baking Soda Lava Lamp

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Make Your Own pH Indicator

Magnetic Science Projects

Magnetic Storms: A Homemade Magnetometer

Winter Science Experiments

Sparkling Rainbow Crystal

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Egg Drop Project: Protect the Egg!

Candy Science Experiments

The Chocolate Rock Cycle

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Paper Airplane Challenge

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Do Singers Have Bigger Lungs?

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One Minute Spaghetti

Nature Experiments

Investigating Air Quality

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Freezing Rocks: Mechanical Weathering with Water

Recycled Materials Projects

Can I Make Less Trash?

Volcano Experiments

Lava Flow Demonstration

Quick Science Fair Projects You Can Do In A Day

Rocket Film Canisters

Easy Science Fair Projects for Home and School

Changing the Color of Flowers

Best Science Fair Projects

Jet Lag in Hamsters

Good Testable Questions

Cloud in a Bottle

Popular Science Fair Projects for Kids

Explosive Elephant Toothpaste

STEM Projects & Extracurricular STEM Activities for Kids

Electricity from a Lemon

Science Activities for Preschoolers

Frozen Flower Sensory Play

Easy & Fun Science Kindergarten Experiments

Sun Prints: Science Meets Art!

Science Projects for 1st Graders

Make a Parachute

Second Grade Science Experiments

Watering Plants: Does it Make a Difference?

Science Projects for 3rd Graders

Colorful Temperature

Science Projects for 4th Graders

Make Plastic From Milk

Science Fair Projects for 5th Graders

Can Fish Tell Time?

Science Fair Projects for 6th Graders

Is a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's?

Science Projects for 7th Graders

Hamsters and Time of Day

Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders

Extracting DNA from Onions

Science Fair Projects for High School

Growing Pineapples

Science Fair Project FAQ

What are easy science fair projects to do.

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Changing the Color of Flowers

Baking Soda Volcano

Swimming Raisins

Egg with Vinegar

Color of Skittles Experiment

Jumping Rice Krispies

Mixing Colors of Light

Camouflage and Hide

Light and Dark on Seed Germination

Make a Parachute

Project details and more projects at Easy Science Fair Projects →

What are the Top 10 science projects? What is the best science project ever?

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Jet Lag in Hamsters (circadian rhythm, Biology science fair project)

Egg with Vinegar (acid-base reaction, Chemistry science fair project)

Galileo's Inclined Plane Experiment (acceleration, Physics science fair project)

Plant's Favorite Color for Photosynthesis (Photosynthesis, Botany science fair project)

Color and Taste (color perception, Psychology science fair project)

Does Dog Saliva Kill Bacteria? (antibacterial, Microbiology science fair project)

Decomposing Plastic Spoons (biodegradable materials, Environmental Science science fair project)

Super Hero Egg Shells (structural engineering, Engineering science fair project)

Music Math: Playing Notes with Equations (music, Math science fair project)

Temperature's Effect on Seawater (climate change, Earth Science science fair project)

Project details at Best Science Fair Projects →

What are some cool science fair projects?

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Explosive Elephant Toothpaste

Electrifying Lemon Battery

Making Oobleck: Liquid or Solid?

Egg Drop Project

Colors of Skittles Experiment

Cloud in a Bottle

Egg in a Bottle

Plastic Milk

Project details and more projects at Popular Science Fair Projects →

What are some testable questions?

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What makes a cloud form?

Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

What makes popcorn pop?

Project details and more projects at Testable Questions Science Fair Projects →

Can I do a science fair project in a day?

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Rocket Film Canisters

Make Your Own pH Indicator

Testing Antacids

Uncovering Fall Colors

Which Candle Burns the Fastest?

Fire-Resistant Balloons

Can Peanuts Heat Water?

Project details at Quick Science Fair Projects →

What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

Science museums.

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Don't worry about how much it costs to get into the science museum, as there may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your credit card for offers, your local library for free museum passes, and nearby science museums for free entrance days.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!

Look around and observe

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Try an Easy Science Project!

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How do I start a science fair project?

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What is the scientific method?

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What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

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How do I make a science fair board?

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Where can I find a science fair competition?

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The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and even virtual competitions!

Science Projects Resources

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WELCOME TO SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS WORLD !

Welcome to Science Fair Projects . I would like to ask you a question: exactly what is required to be a wonderful scientist? Think about one of the most popular researchers you understand-- Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pierre as well as Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, and so forth. Just what do all these people share? Well, for one point, they're all very smart. Sometimes they also taught themselves the majority of what they knew about their certain subject. Actually, Sir Isaac Newton needed to develop a brand-new branch of mathematics (calculus) just to solve the issues he was attempting to perform in physics. There is something else they all had in common that set them besides the other wise people of their time-- their ability to ask inquiries. Simply having a great mind isn't always sufficient. To be a fantastic researcher, you have to have the ability to take a look at a trouble that hundreds, maybe also thousands, of individuals have currently taken a look at as well as been unable to fix, as well as ask the question in a new means. Then you take that question and develop a brand-new method to address it. That is just what made Newton and also the others so renowned. They coupled knowledge with a curiosity that stated, "I wish to know the solution to this." After creating the right concerns, they discovered methods of answering those questions and inevitably arrived for their explorations and science fair projects .

Science is the endeavour to bring together by means of systematic thought the perceptible phenomena of this world into as thorough-going an association as possible. To put it boldly, it is the attempt at a posterior reconstruction of existence by the process of conceptualisation - A. Einstein

Could you be the next Thomas Edison and create something the world has awaited, or the following Isaac Newton and also answer a question no one has had the ability to respond to? Definitely! To do it needs something all kids have normally and numerous adults want they still had-- interest. Science Fair Projects World will help you to use that interest by introducing you to five significant locations of science-- Biology, Chemistry, Physics, the Earth and Sky, and also the Human Body. You will exist with a number of inquiries that will certainly assist you to begin believing like a researcher. Maybe you've asked a few of these questions prior to; as an example, why is the sky blue? A few of them will probably be new to you. Because asking the best concern is just the primary step towards being a wonderful researcher, this publication will additionally assist you in finishing the 2nd action: the experiment. Following each question there will be an experiment that will aid you find on your own a few of the enigma and magic of scientific research. There are 3 various types of experiments supplied in this publication-- basic activities you could do swiftly, larger as well as much more complicated experiments, and scientific research tasks.

The Scientific Method For Science Fair Projects

First, let's take a look at the beginning factor for all science fair projects experiments : the Scientific Method. It was made well-known by an Italian guy called Galileo in the sixteenth century. It is easy and also will aid you ask and also respond to much of the questions you have regarding science. There are 5 components to the Scientific Method: Observe some task in the globe around you. Compose a feasible explanation for that task, called a hypothesis. Use your theory to make forecasts regarding the task. Test those forecasts. Decide regarding your hypothesis and also its ability to forecast the activity. Why did the young scientist bring art materials to science course? She desired to draw some final thoughts! Scientists have used this approach for centuries to understand their world. Now it's your turn! The fun part that exists on this website in that you can start checking out practically anywhere and also comply with the concept that you like. And also if ScienceFair-Projects.org doesn't take the suggestion as for where you wish to go, utilize your creative imagination as well as maintain persistence and thoroughly research the idea. You are welcome to join this amazing journey right into the world of experimental science. Welcome aboard Science Fair Projects - let us begin the journey!

Some Ideas For Free Science Fair Projects

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Science Fair Projects

With the help of our web developer Bobs SEO and years of experiments, we have assembled hundreds of free, illustrated science fair project ideas and science project experiments. These are ideal projects for elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Many of the science fair project ideas have drawings with clear, easy to read follow diagrams and instructions.

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NASA Funding Opportunity for Citizen Science Projects

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NASA is seeking proposals to fund approximately 6 to 10 citizen science projects for up to three years as part of the agency's Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2024 ( ROSES-2024 ) solicitation. These projects will be funded as part of NASA's Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program ( CSESP ) under the Earth Science Research Program.

Mandatory Notices of Intent (NOIs) are due by April 15, 2024, and proposals are due by May 14, 2024.

Areas of investigation can include any of the NASA Earth Science focus areas: Atmospheric Composition; Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics; Climate Variability and Change; Water and Energy Cycle; Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems; or Earth Surface and Interior. All proposals must demonstrate clear linkages between citizen science and NASA observation systems to advance NASA's Earth science.

NASA's Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program provides unrestricted access to the agency's Earth science data collection along with tools and resources for working with these data. CSESP, an ESDS Competitive Program , is focused on developing and implementing projects that harness contributions from members of the public to advance our understanding of Earth as a system. CSESP advances the use of community contributions to Earth science research by directly supporting community science activities that are tightly coupled to NASA earth observing systems and that enhance or extend the resolution, scope, or impact of these systems.

In keeping with NASA open science policies , proposals must provide an Open Science and Data Management Plan ( OSDMP ). The OSDMP addresses how data and information acquired and data products produced as part of the proposed project will be made publicly available. The plan also describes how software and source code resulting from funded projects will be released as open-source software and how data resulting from funded projects will be open-source and made openly available in a NASA-approved repository.

More Information

  • ROSES-2024: Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program (PDF)
  • Earth Science Research Overview for ROSES-2024 (PDF)
  • ROSES-2024 Summary of Solicitation (PDF)
  • Citizen Science Projects at NASA Science

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New NASA Disasters Funded Research Opportunities

Are you passionate about leveraging Earth science to make a tangible difference in disaster risk reduction, recovery, and resilience?

The NASA ROSES-2024 Solicitation, " A.42 Earth Action: Disaster Risk Reduction, Recovery, and Resilience, " is now open for proposals! NASA's Disasters program is looking for multidisciplinary projects that demonstrate a clear connection between scientific data and improvements in community safety and sustainability.

By addressing the critical elements of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, we can pave the way to more resilient communities worldwide.     Join us in our mission to integrate Earth science information into decision-making processes for enhanced disaster management. Let's work together to safeguard communities and ecosystems against the impacts of disasters.

Proposals are due June 14, 2024 -  submit your Notice of Intent to propose by March 28, 2024.

See the A.42 Solicitation

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Connect with the Applied Sciences Program

With help from NASA’s Earth-observing satellites, our community is making a difference on our home planet. Find out how by staying up-to-date on their latest projects and discoveries.

Stay Connected

A once-ignored community of science sleuths now has the research community on its heels

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A community of sleuths hunting for errors in scientific research have sent shockwaves through some of the most prestigious research institutions in the world — and the science community at large.

High-profile cases of alleged image manipulations in papers authored by the former president at Stanford University and leaders at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have made national media headlines, and some top science leaders think this could be just the start.

“At the rate things are going, we expect another one of these to come up every few weeks,” said Holden Thorp, the editor-in-chief of the Science family of scientific journals, whose namesake publication is one of the two most influential in the field. 

The sleuths argue their work is necessary to correct the scientific record and prevent generations of researchers from pursuing dead-end topics because of flawed papers. And some scientists say it’s time for universities and academic publishers to reform how they address flawed research. 

“I understand why the sleuths finding these things are so pissed off,” said Michael Eisen, a biologist, the former editor of the journal eLife and a prominent voice of reform in scientific publishing. “Everybody — the author, the journal, the institution, everybody — is incentivized to minimize the importance of these things.” 

For about a decade, science sleuths unearthed widespread problems in scientific images in published papers, publishing concerns online but receiving little attention. 

That began to change last summer after then-Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne, who is a neuroscientist, stepped down from his post after scrutiny of alleged image manipulations in studies he helped author and a report criticizing his laboratory culture. Tessier-Lavigne was not found to have engaged in misconduct himself, but members of his lab appeared to manipulate images in dubious ways, a report from a scientific panel hired to examine the allegations said. 

In January, a scathing post from a blogger exposed questionable work from top leaders at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , which subsequently asked journals to retract six articles and issue corrections for dozens more. 

In a resignation statement , Tessier-Lavigne noted that the panel did not find that he knew of misconduct and that he never submitted papers he didn’t think were accurate. In a statement from its research integrity officer, Dana-Farber said it took decisive action to correct the scientific record and that image discrepancies were not necessarily evidence an author sought to deceive. 

“We’re certainly living through a moment — a public awareness — that really hit an inflection when the Marc Tessier-Lavigne matter happened and has continued steadily since then, with Dana-Farber being the latest,” Thorp said. 

Now, the long-standing problem is in the national spotlight, and new artificial intelligence tools are only making it easier to spot problems that range from decades-old errors and sloppy science to images enhanced unethically in photo-editing software.  

This heightened scrutiny is reshaping how some publishers are operating. And it’s pushing universities, journals and researchers to reckon with new technology, a potential backlog of undiscovered errors and how to be more transparent when problems are identified. 

This comes at a fraught time in academic halls. Bill Ackman, a venture capitalist, in a post on X last month discussed weaponizing artificial intelligence to identify plagiarism of leaders at top-flight universities where he has had ideological differences, raising questions about political motivations in plagiarism investigations. More broadly, public trust in scientists and science has declined steadily in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center .

Eisen said he didn’t think sleuths’ concerns over scientific images had veered into “McCarthyist” territory.

“I think they’ve been targeting a very specific type of problem in the literature, and they’re right — it’s bad,” Eisen said. 

Scientific publishing builds the base of what scientists understand about their disciplines, and it’s the primary way that researchers with new findings outline their work for colleagues. Before publication, scientific journals consider submissions and send them to outside researchers in the field for vetting and to spot errors or faulty reasoning, which is called peer review. Journal editors will review studies for plagiarism and for copy edits before they’re published. 

That system is not perfect and still relies on good-faith efforts by researchers to not manipulate their findings.

Over the past 15 years, scientists have grown increasingly concerned about problems that some researchers were digitally altering images in their papers to skew or emphasize results. Discovering irregularities in images — typically of experiments involving mice, gels or blots — has become a larger priority of scientific journals’ work.   

Jana Christopher, an expert on scientific images who works for the Federation of European Biochemical Societies and its journals, said the field of image integrity screening has grown rapidly since she began working in it about 15 years ago. 

At the time, “nobody was doing this and people were kind of in denial about research fraud,” Christopher said. “The common view was that it was very rare and every now and then you would find someone who fudged their results.” 

Today, scientific journals have entire teams dedicated to dealing with images and trying to ensure their accuracy. More papers are being retracted than ever — with a record 10,000-plus pulled last year, according to a Nature analysis . 

A loose group of scientific sleuths have added outside pressure. Sleuths often discover and flag errors or potential manipulations on the online forum PubPeer. Some sleuths receive little or no payment or public recognition for their work.

“To some extent, there is a vigilantism around it,” Eisen said. 

An analysis of comments on more than 24,000 articles posted on PubPeer found that more than 62% of comments on PubPeer were related to image manipulation. 

For years, sleuths relied on sharp eyes, keen pattern recognition and an understanding of photo manipulation tools. In the past few years, rapidly developing artificial intelligence tools, which can scan papers for irregularities, are supercharging their work. 

Now, scientific journals are adopting similar technology to try to prevent errors from reaching publication. In January, Science announced that it was using an artificial intelligence tool called Proofig to scan papers that were being edited and peer-reviewed for publication. 

Thorp, the Science editor-in-chief, said the family of six journals added the tool “quietly” into its workflow about six months before that January announcement. Before, the journal was reliant on eye-checks to catch these types of problems. 

Thorp said Proofig identified several papers late in the editorial process that were not published because of problematic images that were difficult to explain and other instances in which authors had “logical explanations” for issues they corrected before publication.

“The serious errors that cause us not to publish a paper are less than 1%,” Thorp said.

In a statement, Chris Graf, the research integrity director at the publishing company Springer Nature, said his company is developing and testing “in-house AI image integrity software” to check for image duplications. Graf’s research integrity unit currently uses Proofig to help assess articles if concerns are raised after publication. 

Graf said processes varied across its journals, but that some Springer Nature publications manually check images for manipulations with Adobe Photoshop tools and look for inconsistencies in raw data for experiments that visualize cell components or common scientific experiments.

“While the AI-based tools are helpful in speeding up and scaling up the investigations, we still consider the human element of all our investigations to be crucial,” Graf said, adding that image recognition software is not perfect and that human expertise is required to protect against false positives and negatives. 

No tool will catch every mistake or cheat. 

“There’s a lot of human beings in that process. We’re never going to catch everything,” Thorp said. “We need to get much better at managing this when it happens, as journals, institutions and authors.”

Many science sleuths had grown frustrated after their concerns seemed to be ignored or as investigations trickled along slowly and without a public resolution.  

Sholto David, who publicly exposed concerns about Dana-Farber research in a blog post, said he largely “gave up” on writing letters to journal editors about errors he discovered because their responses were so insufficient. 

Elisabeth Bik, a microbiologist and longtime image sleuth, said she has frequently flagged image problems and “nothing happens.” 

Leaving public comments questioning research figures on PubPeer can start a public conversation over questionable research, but authors and research institutions often don’t respond directly to the online critiques. 

While journals can issue corrections or retractions, it’s typically a research institution’s or a university’s responsibility to investigate cases. When cases involve biomedical research supported by federal funding, the federal Office of Research Integrity can investigate. 

Thorp said the institutions need to move more swiftly to take responsibility when errors are discovered and speak plainly and publicly about what happened to earn the public’s trust.  

“Universities are so slow at responding and so slow at running through their processes, and the longer that goes on, the more damage that goes on,” Thorp said. “We don’t know what happened if instead of launching this investigation Stanford said, ‘These papers are wrong. We’re going to retract them. It’s our responsibility. But for now, we’re taking the blame and owning up to this.’” 

Some scientists worry that image concerns are only scratching the surface of science’s integrity issues — problems in images are simply much easier to spot than data errors in spreadsheets. 

And while policing bad papers and seeking accountability is important, some scientists think those measures will be treating symptoms of the larger problem: a culture that rewards the careers of those who publish the most exciting results, rather than the ones that hold up over time. 

“The scientific culture itself does not say we care about being right; it says we care about getting splashy papers,” Eisen said. 

Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Computer Science > Machine Learning

Title: neural network diffusion.

Abstract: Diffusion models have achieved remarkable success in image and video generation. In this work, we demonstrate that diffusion models can also \textit{generate high-performing neural network parameters}. Our approach is simple, utilizing an autoencoder and a standard latent diffusion model. The autoencoder extracts latent representations of a subset of the trained network parameters. A diffusion model is then trained to synthesize these latent parameter representations from random noise. It then generates new representations that are passed through the autoencoder's decoder, whose outputs are ready to use as new subsets of network parameters. Across various architectures and datasets, our diffusion process consistently generates models of comparable or improved performance over trained networks, with minimal additional cost. Notably, we empirically find that the generated models perform differently with the trained networks. Our results encourage more exploration on the versatile use of diffusion models.

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  27. [2402.13144] Neural Network Diffusion

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