These curious and offbeat science experiments provide Saturday scientists of all ages with new ways to mess up the basement and gross out mom - all in the name of education! Accomplished physicist and science writer Neil A. Downie presents a wide variety of creative and innovative projects, from whacky motors to designer demolition; from the skidmobile to the human-body posture meter; from the rice-grain ski jump to laser light shows. Each experiment comes with historical background, a list of equipment, detailed instructions, and a full explanation of the science behind it. For those intrigued by any particular experiment, Downie includes follow-up suggestions, which describe ways to tinker with the initial "recipe." Whether printing with invisible ink or marveling at the power of an exploding soda bottle, high school science teachers, inveterate tinkerers, and amateur scientists will find in this book a full range of projects guaranteed to banish the boredom of a long Saturday afternoon.