Night of Science at UFZ

On Friday, June 20^th, UFZ opened its doors for the Long Night of Science, and we were part of it with our station "Ich modellier mir die Welt, wie sie mir gefällt" (“I model the world the way I want to”).  Visitors of all ages could explore the art—and science—of modeling through hands-on activities.

The first part of our station was modeling with arts and crafts. The challenge: build a farm in 3 minutes using only 4 materials. We had playdough, pipe cleaners, paper, googly eyes and a few other things. People quickly noticed that limited resources led to real creative challenges. Do I use a googly eye, even if it’s "expensive" and doesn’t help structurally? Can I make a convincing cow from only one material? Many ended up negotiating trade-offs—just like in real scientific modeling.

Once the farm was built, we asked them to remove something—a barn, a tree, a chicken—and still keep it recognizable as a farm.  People started noticing how some parts were “essential” and others weren’t, and that opened the door to talk about:

• What we prioritize when we simplify
• Why models have to leave things out
• How limited time and data can shape how we model something

The second part started with a fun little challenge: draw a rabbit using as few lines as possible. We had three example pictures, from very detailed to comic-style, and asked visitors to try it themselves. This seemingly simple task led to laughs, great drawings, and some thinking. How few lines does it take to recognize a rabbit and what features are essential? This was a good icebreaker before introducing the predator-prey model implemented in NetLogo, featuring rabbits and foxes. From there, we talked about how we use models to explore complex systems, how every model is a simplification (sometimes a pretty big one), and why that’s still useful. We also discussed potential extensions to the model, e.g. by adding diseases or human management. It was cool to see how quickly everyone got into thinking like modelers.

Overall, we had a great time full of interesting conversations. We loved seeing how modeling, something often seen as technical or abstract, can be experienced through play. Whether it was through squishing playdough or drawing minimalist bunnies, people left with a better grasp of how we scientists try to make sense of a complex world.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, shaped a cow out of playdough, or debated the value of googly eyes. We hope you had as much fun as we did!