To book a talk or workshop please check availability on my schedule (click here) and contact me to confirm details of events, avaliability and costs:
e-mail: j.p.hare@sussex.ac.uk
click here for a booking form:
booking form (doc file, only 36 kB)
click here for latest Creative Science Centre news
click here to find out what people say about Jonathan's work
Fullerenes, Nanotubes and Nobel Prizes - the discovery of Buckminsterfullerene
The discovery of a new form of carbon in 1985 - the Fullerenes - has lead to a new carbon mechano that promises amazing developments for the future. In 1996 the Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded for the discovery of these new and potentially important materials. This talk is an account of the scientific story, breakthroughs and latest research. It is given by a scientist who was lucky enough to be directly involved with the Nobel Prize winning scientists and this pioneering research.
click here for details of the story
(all levels, ca. 1 hour, talk includes video clips and demonstrations)
Hollywood Science (talk)
Based on the BBC / OU TV series Hollywood Science. We ask how realistic is the science behind some of Hollywood's classic movies and stunts? We will take a number of Hollywood Films and look in more detail to find out. Depending on time films will include; SPEED, Shanghai Noon, Die Hard, The Score, Fight Club, Waterworld, UP, Moon, Angels and Demons, Chain Reaction ...
(1h: film clips + time for discussion)
For a review of the Hollywood Science talk try the
BBC News web site
and and here for student reviews
Some Science of Breaking Bad (talk)
Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White a High School Chemistry teacher. Learning he has terminal cancer Walt decides to use his considerable chemistry expertise to make and sell crystal meth to make money fast; money he believes his family will need when he is no longer alive. Chemistry is the study of transformation and over the five incredible series we see its spectacular application on screen. We also witness Walt's ugly transformation from neighbourly school teacher into a unscrupulous super gangster' - 'Breaking Bad' in American slang.
In the talk Jonathan will explore the use and abuse of meth amphetamine, acid bath disposal of bodies, exploding crystals, poisonous gases and much more from the series.
(1h: film clips + time for discussion)
See Jonathan's BBC Breaking Bad article BBC website
and four articles written for the Royal Society of Chemistry
Some Science of Longboarding and skateboarding
Longboarding has been around since the start of skateboarding and is currently undergoing a revival.
With video clips and animations this talk goes deeper into the science and technology of skating.
(50 min - 1h: demonstrations, video clips)
click here for details and links
Lighthouses and the Fresnel Lens
Lighthouses have guided mariners and warned seafarers of danger for 1000's of years. This talk provides a little of the history and diversity of lighthouses. In particular we look at the important invention of the Fresnel lens that made it possible to efficiently create a high intensity light that could beam 30 or perhaps 40 miles. The talk includes video clips of various lights and lighthouses around the world and their keepers. The talk will also include details of the film I made of the Gatteville Lighthouse (France) for the BBC COAST TV series.
(50 min - 1h: demonstrations, video clips)
click here for a mini film about the Fresnel lens
Some science of your mobile phone (talk and workshop)
The mobile phone has amazing computing power, a sophisticated radio transceiver and all sort of other modern gadgets and gizmos built in to allow you to phone people around the world. We will explore some of the science of mobile phones. Experiments and demonstrations include measuring the electromagnetic waves, discovering the DTMF ... - bring your mobiles!
click here for details of some of the experiments
(50 min - 1h: hands on demonstrations etc.)
Voice on a light beam (talk and workshop)
Based on one of the challenges from the Death Valley series of Rough Science (BBC2) we will learn how to use light not only to send morse code messages but incredibly actually put your own voice on the light - an experiment that in principle, could be used to communicate across the vacuum of space. In the workshop will make our own Rough Science experiments so you can put your voice on a lightbeam!
click here for details of the experiments
(GCSE - A Level talk 50 min - 1 hour, workshop ca. 1-2h: demos + video clips)
Wind power and windmills (talk and workshop)
Living on a fairly windy island (the UK) there is great scope for making power from the wind. Here we explain the essentails and show some demonstrations to bring these ideas alive.
click here for details of some of the experiments
(General public talk, GCSE - A Level Workshop ca. 1h: video clips)
Spectroscopy of C60 (talk)
IR, UV, NMR and Mass spectroscopy provide scientists with a wide range of clues to unravelling and identifying chemical structure and composition. At the heart of the success of these techniques is the fundamental idea of symmetry. C60, Buckminsterfullerene, probably the most wonderfully structured and symmetrical of molecules, has an equally wonderful and rewarding set of spectroscopic signatures. We shall look at the structure of C60 and by its example explain and explore key areas of spectroscopy.
click here for details of C60
(A-level, molecular models provided, max. 30)
Atomic time (MSF, 60 kHz) (talk)
I spent a very happy year at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) working with atomic clocks that were 'accurate' to better than a second in 100,000 years! - I was a 'Time Lord' for a year. This talk is a little of the history of time keeping, how time is measured leading up to the amazing invention of the atomic clock. Also described is the 60 kHz MSF time signal that constantly sends out a super-stable time signal which we will used to demonstrate a 'radio' clock in action.
click here for details of MSF
(ca. 1 hour, talk and demonstrations)
Electricity and the Baghdad Battery (talk and workshop)
This is the story of electricity. We will describe how electricity is found in nature e.g. in storms but also in crystals. Then we explore how we can generate electricity from magnetism. We will discuss the chemistry and physics of the electrochemical cell and make a simple battery out of household materials to power some electronic devices. On the way we look at a little of the history of this important invention and the possibility that it might have been invented by the Mesopotamians over 2000 years ago!
click here for details of a simple battery and the Baghdad Battery
(GCSE to A-level: 1h: presentation with hands-on demos)
The Transistor (talk and workshop)
The transistor is a most important and influential invention as it has provided the means for the computer and communications revolution. This has lead to the space age and to the incredible developments of the internet. In this talk we will explore the transistor with the aid of many demonstrations and audience participation. We will see how the transistor can be used to amplify and look at its latest use in the tiny memory chips of palm computers and digital cameras and beyond.
click here for details of the transistor workshop
(talk 1 h: demonstrations and audience participation, workshop: GCSE - A Level. Workshop ca. 1-1 1/2h: demonstrations and audience participation, max. 20)
**COMING SOON ** Wave Power (talk)
Here in the UK we are sorrounded by the sea so we really should make use of the waves and wave power. This is an introduction to waves and the potential of wave power
click here for a mini film about wave power
(A-level and general public talk 1 h)
In search of the Schumann resonance (talk)
The mosture and salts in the earth mean it is a fairly good conductor while the upper atmosphere is also conducting due to ionisation UV from Sun light. Radio waves can travel between these two layers. If the radio wave has a very long wavelength - the length of the circfumference of the Earth - the energy can build up and we can get a resonance. This was first predicted by the German physists Winfried Otto Schumann. The wavelengths are very large, the frequency very low (ca. 8 Hz) and the signals are very tiny. This is the story of my efforts to go in search of this Shumann resonance !
(ca. 1 hour)
Shake-a-gen (workshop)
A workshop exploring the science of electricity. We will build what is perhaps the simplest of electrical generators, one that can light an LED and so simply demonstrate how electricity is produced from magnetism, wire and mechanical movement. It also helps us to understand the differences between current and voltage as well as AC and DC.
click here for details of the shake-a-gen (and other gens)
(GCSE to A Level Workshop ca. 2 h: max. 20, Note: there is a cost per person to cover the cost of materials)
Christmas LED workshop
A practical electronics workshop making up circuits of coloured LED's to decorate homemade Christmas cards and trees. The children will need to make the cards and trees before the workshop and bring them along for decoration with their homemade circuit
click here for more details
(Upper primary to secondary: ca. 1-2 h: max. 20, Note: there is a cost per person to cover the cost of materials)
The Moon Clock (talk and workshop)
This workshop deals with the Moon and its orbit around the Earth including the explanation of the phases of the Moon as well as tides, eclipses and other astronomical events. In addition to this we will make (and keep) an electronic Moon Clock. This simple circuit using only a handful of components includes 12 LED lights and an PIC integrated circuit. The lights show the phase of the Moon, allowing us to clock the phases over the lunar month.
click here for more details
(GCSE to A Level Workshop ca. 2 h: max. 20, Note: there is a cost per person to cover the cost of materials)
Geodesic Domes (Talk and workshop)
The Epcote Centre (Disney USA) and the Eden Project are examples of Geodesic domes - structures originally designed by the inventor and visionary Richard Buckminster Fuller (Bucky Fuller). We will learn all about these fascinating structures and make large (3m) models.
click here for pictures of geodesic domes
(ca. Upper primary to secondary: 1 to 1/2 hour)
** NO LONGER RUNNING ** Fire extinguisher workshop ** NO LONGER RUNNING **
The aim is to invent, design, construct and test a device that can, on-demand (and not before), put out a fire. We use very basic apparatus (plastic water bottles, tubing, cable ties, glue ...) to make up vinagar and bicarbonate reactions to produce CO2 and foam and find that liquorice extracts to make the foam more permanent. We use the devices to extinquish a small fire.
(GCSE to A-level: 1 1/2h)
click here to find out what people say about Jonathan's CSC work
Short Biography of JPH
Dr Jonathan Hare is a freelance science communicator. His PhD work with Sir Harry Kroto lead to a method of making the football molecule C60, Buckminsterfullerene. He has worked as a 'Time Lord' at the National Physical laboratory working with atomic clocks as well as with British Gas developing a gas powered car. He has been on all the BBC / OU Rough Science (6 series) and Hollywood Science (2 series) TV programmes. He has also appeared on COAST and Horizon TV programmes. He is currently a visiting lecturer in science communication in the Physics department at Sussex University. He loves making things, juggling, hill walking, amateur radio and painting.
Jonathan Hare presents a range of science talks, workshops and resources.
To book a talk or workshop please check avalability on my schedule (click here) and contact me to confirm details of events, avaliability and costs:
e-mail: j.p.hare@sussex.ac.uk
click here for a booking form:
booking form (doc file, only 36 kB)
click here for latest Creative Science Centre news
click here to find out what people say about Jonathan's work
click here for summary outreach page
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