08.04.2025
Fantasy Basel features exhibitions, guest panels, gaming zones, and different contests, attracting around 88’000 visitors from all over Europe. The Science Olympiad booth can be found on the Space Floor, which hosts expert panels on robotics, geology, biology, chemistry, robotics and physics for a broad audience. However, participation is not limited to space-related topics, so all Science Olympiads are welcome!
Last year, visitors of the space floor had the chance to visit exhibitions and activities of the Swiss Space Museum and its partners as well as being treated to meetings and talks by space scientists, experts and science stars like Dr. Renato Krpoun, Prof. Peter Wurz, and the swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier. While the Science Olympiad volunteers probably did not expect to compete with such science superheroes, they definitely stole the show, no capes were needed.
In May 2024, the Swiss Physics Olympiad brought science to life for visitors of all ages at their Fantasy Basel booth, where kids, students, teachers, and seniors alike could dive into the wonders of physics and astronomy. The stand featured a fun mix of challenges, including a science oracle and a memory game, both featuring a fun mix with pop culture references related to physics.
The science oracle became a center of curiosity, where visitors could ask questions about any topic in physics. The challenge for the Olympiad volunteers was to explain these complex concepts in a way that was not only understandable but also engaging for even the youngest visitors. Whether it was explaining the mysteries of black holes or the secrets of quantum mechanics, the volunteers did a wonderful job making science approachable and fun.
The memory game, another highlight, tested players' knowledge with funny pop culture facts connected to physics. It was a hit among all age groups, offering an entertaining way to learn about the different subjects while connecting it to familiar movies, shows, and books.
The Swiss Informatics Olympiad offered Tower of Hanoi and a card sorting game. As solving one of those games was required to get a reward, Tower of Hanoi in particular did garner quite a lot of attention, so there were plenty of opportunities to either directly motivate potential new participants to attend the Informatics Olympiad workshops or else give information for people who could encourage students they know to participate.
Tower of Hanoi is an excellent way of bringing the core of Informatics to a broad audience. While solving it requires neither a single line of coding nor a digital device, one must figure out and execute an algorithm in its head to succeed. This is exactly the kind of thinking the Informatics Olympiad tries to promote and acts as a gateway to the discipline. Solving the riddle was accessible to people of almost any age. There was a lot of positive feedback and the audience was very eager to solve the challenge.
In order to make giveaways in a productive way instead of just leaving it on the table, the Science Olympiad volunteers partnered with the ETH student project Manzoku, who built a machine from scratch that can make stickers, pins and more. At Fantasy Basel 2024, the large, bright-white hull and the colorful capsules caught the attention of passers-by, captivating guests of any age to come and learn more about what the Science Olympiad had to offer. The hull did not retain its chalky-white exterior for long, however, as onlookers were encouraged to leave their mark on the gadget, using pens and markers, which turned it into a flashy column of vivid art and vibrant colors. The idea became a massive hit, with guests lining up to engage in our quizzes and challenges for the chance to win fun prizes turned out by the Manzoku machine.
Being a part of Fantasy Basel 2024 was a mesmerizing experience for the Manzoku team. Seeing the magnetic pull of the team’s and the machine's presence, enticing guests to participate in the activities of the Science Olympiad booth, made it feel like the Manzoku team became part of the Science Olympiad. This year, they’ve expressed excitement about joining again - with a new improved version of the machine.
Would you like to see the mysterious machine in action yourself? Do you want to spread the word about Science Olympiad? Are you ready to help out and represent your Olympiad at the Science Olympiad booth? Good news: We will be back at Fantasy Basel between May 29 and 31, 2025 - with an even bigger booth. However, that requires the help of a lot of volunteers! Here’s what you can do:
