Holiday Lecture Series

Science By Candlelight

Date: Sunday, December 8, 2024 @ 10-11am & 1-2pm EST

Theme: What burns to sustain a candle flame? What is the chemical reaction that occurs when you light a candle? What is the shape of a candle flame & why is it shaped that way?

Join us on a scientific adventure at the 2024 Holiday Science Lecture for Families as we take a close look at the candle and learn about the scientific ideas it inspires. We will use experiments, interactive demonstrations, and family activities to show how exciting, visually beautiful and scientifically informative a candle can be when examined closely!

What is symmetry? How are crystals formed? Where can we see patterns in our daily lives?

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2023

Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023 @ 10-11am & 1-2pm EST

Theme: Beauty and wonder surround us every day. Our world is full of amazing patterns: from the smallest scale of molecules arranging into crystal structures such as snowflakes, to the stripes on a tiger, to large geological wonders like Devils Postpile.

Join us at the 2023 Holiday Science Lecture for Families as we take a close look at some of the amazing patterns observed in nature and the science of their structure and formation. We will use experiments and interactive demonstrations to illustrate ideas of shape, symmetry, packing, and pattern formation!

Engine Earth: The Science of Our Climate System

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2022

Date: Sunday, December 4, 2022 @ 10-11am & 1-2pm EST

Theme: Join us at the 2022 Holiday Science Lecture for families as we explore the science behind the climate of our home, planet Earth. We will use experiments and interactive demonstrations to understand how the sun, atmosphere, oceans, land, and human activity affect the operation of "Engine Earth." Come and be a scientist with us as we learn how measurements and models can help us understand our climate and how it is changing!

Title: Go With the Flow: A Festival About Fluids

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2021

Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021 @ 1pm EST

Theme: Join us for a virtual celebration of fluids! Fluids are a part of our everyday lives - you can think about the water that flows from a faucet, the syrup you pour on pancakes, the winds and rains that are part of big storms. You can think about the air that flows out of the hole in a flat tire or the hot candle wax you pour in a mold. We'll investigate some of these common fluids that are all around us, and then we will go into the lab and check out some not-so-everyday fluids that might behave strangely. The presentation is designed for children ages 7 and up and their families, but all are welcome to join and learn something new!

Title: Materials Wonderland: A Celebration of How Materials Science Makes Our Holidays Fun

Article: Holiday Lecture 2020 and Engaging Families in Materials Science: Holiday Science Virtual Lecture for Families

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2020

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2020 @ 1pm EST | Remote

Theme: Join us for a virtual celebration of materials, and their importance in our lives. We will investigate the wonders of common materials, and delve into the science of some materials that make our holidays special. Get ready to learn some interesting science about materials you use every day; we will then go into the lab and check out some not-so-everyday materials. The presentation is designed for children ages 7 and up and their families, but all are welcome to join and learn something new!

Title: The Science of Ice Cream: It's Legen-Dairy!

Articles: Holiday Lecture 2019 and Getting the scoop on ice cream

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2019

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2019 @ 10am or 1pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: What gives ice cream its creamy texture? How does adding salt to ice help in the making of ice cream? What happens when ice cream melts then re-freezes?

Join us at the 2019 Harvard Holiday Science Lecture as we observe, taste, and explore the science of ice cream. Kids, families, students, teachers and the curious are welcome! You will discover the physics, chemistry and biology of how ice cream is made, and what makes it such a yummy treat. Using live experiments and interactive demonstrations with children from the audience, we will investigate the wonders of ice cream. Come and be a scientist with us!

Title: The Science of Pizza: It's A Little Cheesy!

Article: A knead to learn

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2018

Date: Saturday, December 9, 2018 @ 11am or 2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: Why does pizza crust have holes? How does cheese form from milk? How do you break down food into the fuel your body needs? What makes pizza dough stretchy?

Join us at the 2018 Harvard Holiday Science Lecture as we observe, touch, taste, and explore some of your favorite foods. Kids, families, students, teachers and the curious are welcome! You will discover the physics, chemistry and biology of cheese and bread, look at them under a microscope, make a simple cheese (yum!), and learn about digestion (yuck!). Using live experiments and interactive demonstrations with children from the audience, we will investigate the wonders of pizza. Come and be a scientist with us!

Title: Hold Your Temper: Celebrating the Science of Chocolate

Article: Learning is sweet

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2017

Date: Saturday, December 10, 2017 @ 11am or 2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: Where does chocolate come from? Why does some chocolate melt in your mouth but not in your hand? What makes a chocolate bar smooth and creamy?

Join us at the 2017 Holiday Science Lecture as we explore the science behind the chocolate we all love. We will use experiments, taste tests, and interactive demonstrations to investigate what makes the perfect chocolate bar. Together we will understand basic chocolate science: how to get chocolate from cocoa beans; how chocolate melts and can be formed into a solid bar that stays together;  and what  makes chocolate taste gritty or smooth.  Come and be a scientist with us as we observe, touch, and taste one of your favorite foods: chocolate!

Title: The Science in a Bubble: Illuminating Interfaces

Article: Bubbles, soap films, and surface tension highlighted in annual holiday science lecture

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2016

Date: Saturday, December 18, 2016 @ 11am or 2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: How can some bugs walk on water? What can we learn about a soap bubble? How can we make oil and water mix?

In this interactive presentation led by Professor Howard Stone of Princeton University, we will learn about the science of surfaces and interfaces. We will examine the boundary between liquid and air or between two liquids. This “surface” is so common that we take it for granted but we will see it introduces us to many fascinating ideas in science. Children will help demonstrate the interaction of different kinds of molecules at these boundaries

Title: A Grain of Salt: Isn't It Ionic?

Article: A dash of chemistry

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2015

Date: Saturday, December 5, 2015 @ 10am or 1pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: How does salt dissolve in water? What is a precipitate? Why is salt essential for health? Table salt, or sodium chloride, is important to human history - and human health - in many ways.

In this interactive presentation led by Professor Howard Stone of Princeton University, we will learn about the many properties of salt that make it so universally useful. Children will help demonstrate the chemistry of salt, from solubility to conductivity. Audience participation is a big part of this interactive show, and every child receives a free t-shirt.

Title: DNA: A Detective Story

Article: Discovering 'detectives' of science

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2014

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2014 @ 10am or 1pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: What is the code of life? How does DNA work? How did scientists figure out the structure of DNA? Your genetic code is what makes you unique!

Explore the science, beauty and elegance of DNA. In this interactive presentation led by Professor Howard Stone of Princeton University, we will learn how scientists cracked the universal code and structure of DNA. Kids will help demonstrate the chemistry of DNA, and how DNA copies itself.

Title: Faster than the blink of an eye!

Article: Science and delight, in the blink of an eye

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2013

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2013 @ 10am or 1pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: How fast is the blink of an eye? How can we "see" sound? What can fast cameras reveal about the world around us? Seeing is believing—or is it?

Every day we observe the world around us, but a lot of objects move either too slow or too fast for us to understand what is happening with just our eyes. Scientists and engineers have invented many tools that help us either slow down or speed up the action so that we can make more accurate observations. In this interactive presentation led by Professor Howard Stone of Princeton University, we will learn about some different techniques for capturing images, and apply them to understanding how sounds are made, how things break, and the secret life of small organisms. Audience participation is a big part of this interactive show, and every kid gets a science related t-shirt!

Title: Let there be light: A celebration of color

Article: Celebrating color with rainbows, flames, and an electrified pickle

Flyer: Holiday Lecture 2014

Date: Saturday, December 8, 2012 @ 10-11am or 1-2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Theme: What makes the colors of a rainbow? Why is the sky blue? Why are soap bubbles so colorful? How long does it take for light to travel from the sun to the earth? Lights and color make the holidays bright!

In this lecture featuring Professor Howard Stone, we’ll explore the science of light and color and its importance in our lives and in nature. Audience participation is a big part of this interactive show, and every child gets a t-shirt!

Title: Powerful Potential: The Gift of Energy

Article: Powerful potential - SEAS holiday lecture engages young learners with the wonders of energy

Date: Saturday, December 10, 2011 @ 10-11am or 1-2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Title: Good Vibrations: How We Communicate

Article: Waves and the waggle dance

Date: Saturday, December 11, 2010 @ 10-11am or 1-2pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B

Title: Science of Chocolate

Article: Sweet success at annual holiday lecture

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2008 @ 10am or 1pm EST | Harvard University Science Center, 1 Oxford Street, Lecture Hall B