Super scientists of the future have been delving into the intriguing world of medical biology at an extraordinary workshop hosted by the University of Sheffield.
Almost 100 intrepid youngsters from Greengate Lane Primary and Laughton Junior and Infant School investigated giant elephant bones, a turtle skeleton and a hippopotamus skull during the fascinating Science of Bones workshop aiming to ignite a passion for STEM subjects (Science Technology Engineering and Maths).
Dr Allie Gartland, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield's Medical School, presented the inspiring event alongside a team of students, technicians and members of the Outreach team.
"This workshop aims to give pupils a fun, fascinating and hands on explanation as to why they need a good healthy diet to keep their bones healthy and strong," said Dr Gartland.
"Children may be aware that they need calcium for their bones but we are able to show them exactly what happens to bones when they are lacking in calcium and explain to them about osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease, which is often thought of as an old person's disease. In fact more and more young people are suffering with this terrible disease."
The pupils assessed the variation in size and shape of an array of bones from the skeleton of human to kangaroo bones. The enormous structures captured the children's imagination and helped the intriguing lesson come to life.
During the stimulating session the youngsters visited four scientific workshops discovering anatomy, structure, composition and bones cells, and were also given time to explore the University on a campus tour.
Isaaq Horn, aged nine, from Greengate Lane Primary School said: "I really enjoyed looking around the science labs at the University – they looked brilliant!
"The workshops were very different to our science lessons and school and I liked looked at all of the skeletons. It is funny to think that we all look like that on the inside. The hippos head was enormous."
Nine-year-old Zara Melluish, also from Greengate Primary School, added: "It is really surprising to look at a human skeleton and see what we look like inside. I like investigating all of the different bones from the massive skull to the tiny vertebra.
"The workshops were lots of fun and I think science is a really interesting subject."
