Every year in autumn, scientific institutes of Latvia open doors to public to show the beauty of natural sciences. This event is called "Science Night", and thousands of people spend their Friday evening to walk around scientific institutes in the largest cities of Latvia. The main idea is to show interesting experiments and natural phenomena to everyone who is willing to learn more about Physics, Chemistry, Biology and nature itself.
For University of Latvia Young Minds Section, this was our first official outreach activity. Most of our members took part in the event by organizing small contests for the gathered audience, and the winners got a cup with ULYMS logo and University of Latvia photo on it.
One of the places that took part in the "Science Night" event, was Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, University of Latvia, and it was the first time it was organized there. More than 1000 people visited the Faculty and our ULYMS members presenting there.
We were organizing a stand about magnetic fluids. A continuous flow of visitors had the chance to learn what magnetic fluid is and where it is used, to try how magnetic fluid follows a magnet and to see how magnetic fluid creates a 2D crystal-like structure undergoing the normal-field instability. In addition, we organized small competitions where participants had to create the most beautiful magnetic 'crystal' spike structures with an appropriate description in a magneto-rheological fluid under magnetic field.
