BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Mad Scientist professor Will Hill fills the auditorium with CO2 gas ‘fog’ by dropping dry ice into buckets of hot water.

A standing room crowd of 200 children and their parents packed into the auditorium at the Town’s Senior Center in Aquebogue Saturday morning to be amazed and entertained by the science-themed show presented by Mad Science of Long Island franchise.

Mad Science calls the shows “sparking imaginative learning.”

‘Fire and Ice’ was presented by Mad Scientist Professor Will Hill, who has been doing the shows for seven years.

Mr. Hill said that the show teaches the children the scientific properties of fire, air pressure, dry ice and carbon dioxide. He also taught them about scientific method, hypothesis, physical and chemical changes and sublimation.

For the finale he had the children close their eyes as he dropped dry ice into hot water, which turned the carbon dioxide into clouds of CO2 gas, filling the room with ‘fog’ to the delight of the children. He explained how that was done in movies and haunted houses.

The Recreation Department usually sponsors two of these free Mad Science events each year.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Professor Will starts the show with a card trick using Eric Zurawski, 8, of Wading River.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Charlotte Zaleski, 5, of Riverhead was laughing so hard she was jumping up and down in her seat.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Professor Will trying to get Egbert back in the flask.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Lighting a piece of flash paper.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | He puts Egbert in his mouth as he lights a piece of paper in the flask.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | By heating the air in the flask the air pressure changed so the egg slipped into the flask because of suction.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Professor Will is helped by Sydney Woychuk, 6, of Riverhead using a leaf blower to keep a ball afloat.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Creating a concoction of water, food coloring and dry ice.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Professor Will sliming his 'helpers' with a mixture of water, food coloring, dry ice and baby shampoo.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Creating 'fog' using hot water and dry ice.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | The 'fog' fills the auditorium.

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BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | The children jumped out of their seats to try to feel the CO2 'fog gas.'

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