Wilson Hall Activities

		Lectures titled "What are Quarks" will be given every hour beginning at 11:00 am in the Auditorium. The lectures will describe the tools and techniques we use to study the basic building blocks of matter at Fermilab. Experiments at Fermilab have helped define the proton, a particle inside the atom's nucleus, and the proton's substructure of quarks. Today, Fermilab is a center for the study of the heavy quarks discovered in the past two decades -- the bottom quark, discovered at Fermilab in 1977, and the top quark, discovered in 1995. Now, studying the top quark may give clues to the scientific mystery of why matter has mass.

		Two introductory videos will be shown in 1 West. Pursuit of the Fundamental, 17 minute program to be shown on the hour, provides a quick look at why Fermilab is here, what work is done here and an inside glimpse into the nature of the research being done at the laboratory. The Odyssey of Proteus, a 12 minute program to be shown on the half hour, uses a 3D computer animated character, Proteus Proton, to observe a proton's eye view of the accelerators up to final annihilation in a colliding beam experiment.

		Visit the Friends of Fermilab booth to pick up information about doing science with your children and bibliographies about family science activities and science careers. Join Friends of Fermilab and support programs for K-12 educators and students and families.

		The 15th floor observation and public display area overlooks Fermilab's 6800 acre (2,750 hectare) site where scientists study the mysteries of matter that are held by individual particles inside the atom's nucleus. Click here for more information on the many displays, which include an introductory video, a full-size tunnel model, information about the discovery of the top quark.

		Visit the Fermilab Astrophysics booth to learn about surveying the sky, telescopes, black holes, the universe in a jar, and Cosmology 101. Stop here to see what a black hole can do for your image! Click here for more information.

		See a demonstration of Fermilab's "virtual library!" The virtual library online resource delivers information about the latest scientific research directly to the physicists' desktops. At the Information Resources booth at the Fermilab Open House, you can also: Meet with Fermilab information specialists and learn search techniques that will help you more effectively locate valuable information on the World Wide Web. Pick up a list of useful and fun web addresses compliments of Fermilab's Information Resources Department.

		Fermilab's founding director, Robert R. Wilson, was an artist as well as a scientist. Under his guidance, Fermilab began a strong tradition of offering cultural events not only to the laboratory community but to those in neighboring communities as well. It is the goal of the Auditorium Committee, the group of volunteers who oversee the Series, to present an array of dance, jazz, theatre, classical music, folk, and ethnic programming. Information will also be available about the Arts Series, Film Society Series and Fermilab Gallery Exhibits. The photo is of the Tannahill Weavers, a Scottish band performing on Saturday, September 20 in the Auditorium.

		Natural Areas Restoration at Fermilab. Fermilab has been committed to restoring its natural areas since 1975. Through the efforts of students, local volunteers and Fermilab staff, more than 1200 acres are now involved. As areas are seeded with native species and managed in part with fire, a pre-settlement like ecosystem develops. In this improved habitat, wildlife flourishes. Brochures, other information and prairie tours will be available at the Open House

		SciTech, the hands-on science museum in nearby Aurora, established with major support by Fermilab, will be displaying its hands-on "Quark Machine" and its "Particle Smasher." Click here for more information about SciTech.

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J. Nicholls (August 1997)