On Display
Get pedalling! The energy of the turning pedals is converted into electricity. Can you power a light bulb, a radio or even a hairdryer? Which one will need you to pedal the hardest?
An incredible mousetrap-style machine was built in a deserted warehouse in Cornwall. It ran for just one day, but we captured it on film. Watch the chain reaction unfold in Launchpad.
Have a go at building Launchpad's Arch Bridge. Even without glue or screws the Arch Bridge is strong enough to support you and your friends, so build it then test its strength.
Heave on a rope to lift a heavy bowling ball, then let it drop back down. As the bowling ball falls it forces air through a narrow tube, sending a small ball at the other end rocketing into the air.
Sandwiched between two sheets of glass, a honeycomb of bubbles slowly creeps high above your head, is washed away, then forms all over again. Examine beautiful bubbles up close at Bubble Wall.
The iconic Grain Pit exhibit from the original Launchpad gallery has been reinvented for the new gallery as the brand-new Big Machine. Discover how simple machines can make moving things easier.
How does a liquid's viscosity (or runniness) affect how it drips, pours or even spins? Compare three liquids to find out for yourself at this collection of sticky exhibits.
Can you build your own bridge out of blocks to span our table-top river? The key to this challenge is counterbalance - by adding more blocks at the edges you can stop your bridge crashing down in the middle.
A beautiful mixture of different sands is trapped between two sheets of glass. Turn it upside down to stir up the sand and watch as it settles into layers and patterns according to size.
In Launchpad we've got a wall which can freeze your shadow - strike a pose, wait for the flash, then turn around to see your shadow trapped on the wall. What's the weirdest shadow you can make?