Saturday DNA! Regeneron - DNA-o-ween: Pumpkins Meet Glowing Bacteria

Pumpkins and glowing bacteria, oh my! Join us for a Halloween-themed science adventure! Calling all young scientists (and ghosts, witches, and mad scientists)! Step into the lab for two spine-tingling experiments: extracting real DNA from a pumpkin, and creating glow-in-the-dark bacteria art. We'll uncover what DNA actually is, where it hides inside cells, and how it controls every living thing — then extract it ourselves, straight out of pumpkin cells (yes, you get to take some home in a tube!). From there, we'll examine one of the smallest forms of life on Earth: bacteria. Participants will learn how scientists can "reprogram" these tiny organisms to glow, and then get hands-on, painting one-of-a-kind "bio art" using harmless glowing bacteria on agar plates. In this session, participants will: • Discover what DNA is and how it works inside living cells • Extract and see real pumpkin DNA with their own eyes • Learn how scientists engineer bacteria to produce glowing proteins • Create an original piece of living "bio art" using engineered microbes — a digital photo of your glowing creation will be emailed the following week once it's fully grown in! Ages 10 to 13. Chaperone participation is welcome (chaperones must purchase their own ticket), but not required. Costumes are welcome for this Halloween-themed hands-on science adventure!