Why do onions make us cry and could doodling in class be good for your memory?
These are just some of the questions which will be examined at the ESB Science Blast which opens its doors to primary school pupils from across Ireland today.
Over 400 projects will go on display at Dublin's RDS for the fifth annual education programme which is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
The showcase involves classes investigating the science behind simple questions, such as "How will climate change affect baby sharks?" and "If humans had wings, how big would they need to be to allow us to fly?"
Pupils from each class participating will exhibit their projects and discuss their investigations with a STEM expert.
The judging is non-competitive and aimed at growing pupils' interest and passion for STEM.
"The Dublin event is the first in the series with two further live events taking place in Belfast and Limerick later this year," said Geraldine Ruane, chief executive of the RDS.
"ESB Science Blast, a core Programme with the RDS Foundation, is a brilliant avenue to introduce children, at an early stage in their education, to the fun and excitement that learning through STEM can bring," Ms Ruane said.
Now in its fifth year, over 35,000 children have participated in ESB Science Blast to date.
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"This important STEM learning programme helps students to develop key skills like critical thinking and problem solving by nurturing their innate curiosity and creativity," said Paddy Hayes, chief executive of ESB.
