Keith Jobe (NLCTA) makes frozen yogurt with a special ingredient: liquid nitrogen (photo by Nina Adelman Stolar)

By Emily Ball

SLAC made its presence known on April 6 as Stanford University celebrated its second annual Community Day. Attracting children and their parents in droves, SLAC staff put an exciting spin on physics.

Michael "MO" Olson (EFD) presented dramatic demonstrations, and Community Day attendees learned about numerous physics principles through striking, theatrical presentations. The Bed of Nails in particular attracted quite a crowd.

"All up and down campus you could hear people talking about it," said Barbara Hoddy (PAO), who worked in SLAC’s Community Day tent. "Everyone wanted to see someone getting smashed between a concrete block and a bed of nails with a sledgehammer!"

In the ‘Bed of Nails’ demonstration, Michael "MO" Olson smashes a contrete block with a sledgehammer, while a volunteer is sandwiched between two pieces of wood embedded with hundreds of nails. Because the force of the sledgehammer is distributed throughout the bed of nails, the volunteer remains unhurt, even though the concrete block above him is smashed to bits. (Photo by Nina Adelman Stolar)

Keith Jobe (NLCTA) satisfied many a sweet tooth by making ice cream with a special ingredient: liquid nitrogen. Large groups of children and parents gathered around to watch mist pour over the demonstration table, amazed to see Jobe turn a liquid sludge-like mix into edible frozen yogurt.

In addition to Olson and Jobe’s crowd-pleasing antics, many SLAC staff members supported the event. Posters of SLAC scientific projects helped provide visuals while Eduardo do Couto e Silva (EK), Norman Graf (SLD), Tom Himel (NLC), Michael Peskin (TP), Pablo Saz Parkinson (EK) and Derek Tournear (EK) explained the nature of our research to many interested visitors.

We appreciate the effort of those who ably provided advance preparations and behind the scenes support: Terry Anderson (TIS), Elliott Bloom (EK), Greg Bologoff (BSD), Neil Calder (COM), Al Gaxiola (PAO), Eric Hassy (PAO), Mark Long (PAO), Herb McIntye (PAO), Rod Reape (PAO), Diana Rogers (DO), Nina Stolar (PAO) and John Weisend (EFD).

Anyone interested in volunteering or providing demonstration suggestions for community events can call the Public Affairs Office (Ext. 2204 or PAO@SLAC.Stanford.edu). "The greater the presence we have in important events like these," said Nina Stolar, Public Affairs manager, "the more we grow the awareness of—and appreciation for—the work we do here at SLAC."