UG opens ‘Answers Shop’ for questions from children

The University of Groningen (UG) invites children from Groningen and elsewhere to ask their questions to academics. Can humans live to be 1,000 years old? How does energy work? Can we grow beetroot on Mars? Children can now submit these and other pressing life questions to the UG Antwoordenwinkel [Answers Shop].

How does it work?

On Monday 5 September, Groningen-based influencer, or ‘Grunnfluencer’, TikTokTammo posted a video inviting all children to submit their questions to zpannendzernike.nl/antwoordenwinkel by 24 September at the latest. The most interesting questions will be discussed during the children’s science festival Zpannend Zernike on Saturday 1 October in the city centre and Sunday 2 October on the Zernike Campus. Admission is free of charge, and there will be lots of things to do and discover for children as well as their parents and grandparents.

RTV Noord

Everyone who submits a question also stands a chance to appear on TV. This autumn, the regional channel RTV Noord will start airing the new science show Eva zoekt uit, in which TV maker Eva Hulscher will visit UG academics to find out the answers to children’s questions. The questions submitted to the Antwoordenwinkel will also contend for a place on this new RTV Noord show.

Eva Hulscher: ‘Children wonder about all kinds of things that grown-ups take for granted. Why do you secretly like the smell of your own farts, and why is the sea salty? As adults, we no longer ask ourselves these kinds of questions, even though the answers are very interesting to everyone. And the best part is that almost every question can be answered using science.’

About Zpannend Zernike

The children’s science festival Zpannend Zernike, organized by the UG on 1 and 2 October, caters to the curiosity of primary school-aged children. In addition to the Antwoordenwinkel, there will be lots of things to do and discover for children as well as their parents, grandparents, or other guardians. You can excavate dinosaur bones like a real archaeologist, or learn how to build a house that can withstand earthquakes. Put yourself in the shoes of your grandma or granddad and feel what it’s like to be old, or declare someone guilty or innocent like a real judge. More information about the programme and the locations can be found on zpannendzernike.nl. In addition to the UG, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, the University Medical Center Groningen, EnTranCe, various companies at the Zernike Campus, and De Jonge Onderzoekers [The Young Researchers] are also participating in Zpannend Zernike.

National Science Weekend

Zpannend Zernike is part of the national Science Weekend (Weekend van de Wetenschap) from Friday 30 September to Sunday 2 October. Zpannend Zernike will be preceded on Friday evening by the European Researchers’ Night in Forum Groningen. The theme of the night is Women & Science. More information about the programme can be found on www.rug.nl/ERN. The European Researchers’ Night and Zpannend Zernike are co-financed by the European Commission as part of the Horizon 2020 Resurgent Innovation programme.