THE similarities between humans and kiwi fruits will be among the mind-expanding information explored at a science event for children on Saturday.

The annual Wow! How? day takes place at Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History, in Parks Road.

The free event, which attracted 3,000 visitors last year, will feature 30 hands-on science activities, including making ice cream with liquid nitrogen, finding out how earthquakes happen and how clouds form.

In honour of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, an evolution corner will also explain the science behind his famous theory on how organisms develop.

Organiser Flora Bain said: “The aim of the event is to inspire people about science.

“We want to show that science isn’t boring, that it can be fun, messy and surprising.

“People will be able to meet real, practising scientists, who love their subject and want to pass on that enthusiasm to children and young people.

“Science has a reputation of being a boring subject at school but there are lots of explosions and strange experiments that you can do.

“The event is called Wow! How? which is about the surprise people feel when they see something and then the question is ‘how does that work?’.

“It’s not just about making the magic effect, you will also learn why something happens.”

She added: “This is an event unlike any other for us, it’s messy, mad – and everything is run by real scientists.

“We’ve got some brilliant activities planned, past hits like making slime, casting fossils and extracting DNA from fruit, as well as brand new ones too.

“From physics to chemistry, these are big ideas made simple and fun for children and adults alike, this is live science to amaze and intrigue.”

The event, which is run by volunteers and funded by the British Science Association, is suitable for children aged seven and older.

It runs between 10am and 4pm.

For details of the event, see the website oum.ox.ac.uk or call 01865 272950.

tairs@oxfordmail.co.uk