Eureka! Lab

A place for discovery

  1. Science classroom excitement is infectious

    This is the right kind of peer pressure. Students who recalled excitement in their science classrooms were more likely to try a science career, a new study shows.

    By Bethany Brookshire

  2. Teen interviews science role models to inspire others

    Frustrated with a lack of female role models in science and math, a high school student created a YouTube channel to inform her peers about STEM careers.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  3. Chemistry

    To test pill coatings, try a stomach in a flask

    Which pain reliever should you buy? The tablet, gel tab or compressed caplet? A teen did an experiment to find out.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  4. Chemistry

    BPA-free plastic may host BPA-like chemical, teen finds

    Something has to replace the BPA in ‘BPA-free’ plastics. A teen has been probing what that is.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  5. Earth

    To study a geyser, these teens built their own

    Fascinated by geysers but unable to see one? These teens decided to build their own. It allowed them to study how temperature and pressure make the water spew into a founta.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  6. Health & Medicine

    Cooking can alter a food’s vitamin C content

    Scurvy plagued pirates and sailors on the high seas. It also inspired a teen to find out more about the vitamin C in her veggies.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  7. Physics

    Physics guides teen in search for which bike tire is best

    Mountain bikes have lots of options, including the size of the wheels. The choice a rider makes when buying a bike can affect how fast they can go.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  8. Animals

    Nighttime lights can dim a firefly’s flash

    Fireflies blink to attract mates. But when it’s too bright at night, the insects may stay away.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  9. Health & Medicine

    A light-filled box could blast bacteria from lab coats

    Doctors can pick up bacteria on their lab coats. A teen has designed a special light-filled box to keep those coats from infecting others with those germs.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  10. Health & Medicine

    This mix turns pink when sunscreen wears thin

    Many people know to put on sunscreen. Remembering to put more on is harder. A teen invented an indicator that glows pink when it’s time to reapply.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  11. Health & Medicine

    Teens take on science in the age of smartphones

    With nearly every teen using a smartphone, it’s no surprise teen scientists are studying them. Two teams do science with smartphones, one on procrastination, the other on self-esteem.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  12. Agriculture

    Sheep poop may spread poisonous weed

    Fireweed is a poisonous plant in Australia. Sheep can eat it without hurting themselves. But a teen found those sheep may be spreading more weeds.

    By Bethany Brookshire