The Haunted Lab

Luther’s Physics Department hosted “The Haunted Lab,” featuring ghostly yet interactive science demonstrations for excited and fascinated folks, Oct. 30 in Valders Hall of Science.

“The event was geared mostly towards the Decorah community, for families with children,” Assistant Professor of physics Erin Flater said.

The hands-on science displays entertained people of all ages, as publicized by the organizers. Many students in elementary and middle school and their parents or guardians toured the two rooms and part of the hallway that formed the Haunted Lab in the lower level of the east wing of Valders.

The event was sponsored and advertised by the physics department but was entirely organized by the Society of Physics Students.

“The president of SPS came to me with the idea of presenting the Haunted Lab which had happened at Luther a couple of years ago and then got discontinued,” Flater said. “The goal of the event was to reach out to the Decorah community and therefore, admission to the lab was free.”

Those who came to check out the spooky installations experienced the thrill of some intriguing optical illusions like the “Einstein face,” which appeared to bulge out due to the reflection of light even though it was actually concave.

Yet another fascinating demonstration was that of the “standing wire on a string,” which was a vibrating wire that did not appear to vibrate at all; however, one could feel the wire vibrating at a great speed when touched.

Likewise, collecting the fog from a fog machine and shooting it so that rings of fog are created, multiple laser displays, magnetic levitation and other physics wonders enthralled all visitors to the Haunted Lab.

Many of the physics students presenting the displays and explaining the working of the demonstrations in layman’s terms were also dressed up for Halloween in funky costumes.

Physics students remained busy during the three-hour event as there was a continuous flow of curious faces streaming in to check out the Haunted Lab.