06/22/2009

Hunt Hidden Treasure at July 9 'Whiz Bang Science Show'

Writer:

Kurt Knebusch
knebusch.1@osu.edu
330-263-3776

Source:

Dave Lohnes, OARDC
lohnes.2@osu.edu
330-263-3772

WOOSTER, Ohio — Go geocaching with “Dr. Dave” Lohnes at his next “Whiz Bang Science Show,” Thursday, July 9, 7 p.m., at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster.

It’s free and open to the public, is for kids of all ages and their families, and takes place in the John Streeter Garden Amphitheater in OARDC’s Secrest Arboretum.

Geocaching (“jee-o-cash-ing”) uses GPS receivers to search for containers, or “geocaches,” hidden outdoors.

“It’s an innovative merging of technology, nature and treasure hunting,” Lohnes said. “Geocaches have been hidden all around the world, and the coordinates are uploaded to geocaching.com. You enter the coordinates into your GPS and follow the arrow to get to the hidden treasure.”

He’ll talk about the satellite-based Global Positioning System that makes geocaching possible, will show how to get started, and will lead an actual search — for a geocache stashed in the 115-acre arboretum. You can try a GPS receiver yourself. Or bring your own if you have one.

Lohnes, who holds a doctorate in plant genetics and works as OARDC’s Web developer, specializes in taking complex scientific concepts and explaining them in simple, fun ways. He’s done his “Whiz Bang Science Show” for more than 10,000 people since 2003.

It touches on a range of Ohio Teaching Standards, is strong in the Physical Science Indicators of the Ohio Academic Content Standards, and weaves in math, history and geography too.

Call (330) 263-3761 for more information.

The show will be canceled in case of bad weather.

The next show — same time, same place, new topic — is set for Aug. 13.

OARDC (http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/) is the research arm of Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and is the largest university agbioscience research center in the nation.

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