Have a fun afternoon with science with the fully digital Singapore Science Festival

The Singapore Science Festival (SSF) returns for its 20th edition this year with a new milestone – it’s going fully digital.

This year’s festival, jointly organised by the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR and the Science Centre Singapore, is themed Empowered by Science and runs until Aug 8. More than 30 interactive events and activities, both accessible in mobile and desktop, are available for you to engage in.

You can also be part of a record-breaking feat. The SSF 2020 is aiming to set a first-ever virtual science record for the Singapore Book of Records on Aug 8 for having “the most number of people doing a science experiment together on an online platform”.

Participants will simultaneously conduct the “Magic Milk” experiment via Zoom to create a “visually stunning experiment” based on the scientific properties of surface tension using just milk, ink and dish soap.

Here are events and activities you can look forward to at the SSF 2020.

If you’ve always been interested in the science of water and sound, then this is perfect for you. Science busker extraordinaire David Price, who is currently based in the United Kingdom, will take you on a one-hour learning journey on weekends to uncover the science behind things in our everyday lives.

His next performances will be on Aug 1 and Aug 8, from 2pm to 3pm. You can join here.

If you are more interested in food, check out The Explosive Food Show, hosted by Fran and Dan from The Royal Institution of Great Britain. You can get to learn more about the role each ingredient plays and be wowed by the chemical transformations that take place while food is cooked.

The show will be livestreamed on the SSF 2020 website on Jul 28, 2.50pm to 3.30pm; Jul 29, 1.30pm to 2.30pm; and Aug 3, 2.45pm to 3.45pm.

Challenge yourself or your friends and family to a test of knowledge!

There are three Trivia Series at SSF 2020. Guess the Scientist challenges you to name as many famous scientists as you can, while Guess the Invention will test your knowledge of the inventions that have changed the world. Then there’s Guess The Discovery, which tests the number of scientific discoveries you can identify.

There are also three story quizzes, which takes you on a fun and thrilling adventure to uncover the mysteries of nature, chemistry and maths.

Join Wallace and his assistant Walnut the squirrel on a voyage to observe interesting animal behaviour and deduce the important theory of natural selection in The Adventures of Wallace and Walnut, or navigate the creepy hallways and unravel the mysteries of a dilapidated science lab in Escape the Chemystery Lab. But if mathematics is your thing, then gear up for the most exciting maths lesson of your life in Back to School: Maths IS fun!

Apart from the attempt to set a new record in the Singapore Book of Records, there are plenty of other experiments going on at the SSF 2020.

There’s X-periment!, a science carnival under the SSF 2020 designed to connect the research and development community with the public and showcase the many exciting fields of science. You can check out the virtual carnival here.

You can also test your skills in the Science Buskers Festival, a competition to promote learning of science through a show-and-tell demonstration. All 40 shortlisted buskers will have videos of their performances uploaded on to the SSF 2020 website.

There will also be a series of Science Whaaat? videos if you’re up for an afternoon of science-filled activities. These hands-on experiments, from foamy elephant toothpaste to an indoor hot air balloon, will ensure you will have a fun time.

You can check out all the interactive events and activities here.