How much salt is in the Dead Sea?

Scientists' Night 2014 - will be marked by marine sciences and will include the largest experiment in Israel in the wisdom of the masses * in cooperation with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space and the European Union

How does a submarine work? How do fish breathe? Will the solution to overcrowding in Israel be found in the sea? What is the chance of a devastating tsunami on our shores? And why do jellyfish sting? And also - the Israeli proof of the question - is the wisdom of the masses as accurate as the wisdom of the expert? You can get answers to these and other questions at the "Scientists' Night" events that will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space and the European Union on Thursday, September 18, at 13 research institutions and science museums throughout the country.

"Marine science contains an ocean of scientific secrets," said Minister of Science, Technology and Space Yaakov Perry on the occasion of the event. "The public is invited to learn about the scientific work in the field as part of the scientists' night, which opens to the public, for one evening, a window into research, development and science in Israel."

On the occasion of the Night of Scientists events, the Ministry of Science is leading the first and largest wisdom of the masses exercise in Israel. As part of the exercise, the public is invited to answer a question that expert scientists have struggled with - how much salt is in the Dead Sea? And to prove that the wisdom of the crowd can be just as accurate as the wisdom of an expert. The experiment, led by Lior Zoraf, an expert on the wisdom of crowds, is conducted on the assumption that the average of the answers given by the Israeli public will be as accurate as the calculations for the question made by expert scientists from the Dead Sea and Arabah Research Center and the Geological Institute. Voting is already underway and will continue until the Night of the Scientists on the website of the Ministry of Science most.gov.il. The answers will be revealed at the night of the scientists.

During the Night of the Scientists, a variety of science activities for the whole family in the marine sciences at the research institutions and science museums free of charge, including: face-to-face meetings with scientists, activities for children, tours of laboratories, lectures, experiential workshops, performances, scientific demonstrations and more. Among the events:

At Medatech - the National Science Museum, visitors will be able to tour an international ship exhibition, anchor and sail sailing ships in a strong wind by remote control, load and unload containers in the port using a simulator and watch a show about robots in the service of man, as well as listen to lectures on the topics: Mediterranean whales, theories of waves and surfers, and strategies Hunting of animals at sea and more.

At the Sami Shimon Academic College of Engineering on the Be'er Sheva and Ashdod campuses, it will be possible to participate in meetings with scientists, participate in creative workshops from the world of chemistry, build a huge model of water molecules and create soap bubbles, as well as take part in experiments and activities such as a wading pool, testing acidity after eating , lowering the freezing point and more.

At the Davidson Institute, the educational arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, visitors will be able to tour the science garden and the brain exhibit, watch demonstrations, take part in an improvisation theater show and hear a variety of lectures by the institute's scientists. In addition, the Davidson Institute holds a series of "science coffee" meetings in surrounding cities.

At the University of Haifa, it will be possible to fly flying fish with a remote control and launch water missiles, create sailboats out of clay, take a surfing simulation lesson, tour a water sports exhibition and a shark exhibition, watch a show by Dr. Molecule and even experience treating babies in the water. In addition, it will be possible to hear lectures about tsunamis in Israel, dolphins, nutrition of water and salt, the mathematics of sea waves and more.
On the campus of the Open University in Ra'anana, visitors will be able to participate in a water pressure rocket launch workshop and a soap bubble workshop, tour the "Sea of ​​Garbage" exhibit and an ornamental fish display, participate in experiments on eddies, water and sound waves, and more, as well as hear lectures on the journeys of mythological heroes between seas and rivers, the sea as a monster In Jewish culture and climate change and the sea and more.
At the Hebrew University, visitors will be able to play in the beach games complex, tour the laboratories, watch photo exhibitions and marine paintings and hear lectures on water in space, marine reptiles in the desert, dolphins and marine mammals off the coast of Israel, glowing bacteria and more. In addition, a pre-school complex and a complex for children and youth will be operated.
At Tel Aviv University, visitors will be able to visit the complex of scientific demonstrations, hear a piano recital filled with water, watch the show for the whole family "At the Sea", and hear lectures on topics such as: how waves are born, pirates in the Mediterranean Sea, how to solve the global jellyfish problem and more.
At Bar-Ilan University, visitors will be able to watch scientific videos, a physical circus show and a laser and electricity show; Tour the laboratories and learn about the leech's nervous system, about the use of gold to detect and cure cancer, hear lectures about irrational shopping, artificial vision and restoring sight to the blind, and a host of other activities for children and youth.
The "Night of the Scientists" events will take place this year at the following institutions: Medatech - the National Museum of Science, Technology and Space in Haifa; the Technion; Haifa University; Migal - Upper Galilee Knowledge Center in Kiryat Shmona; The Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem; Tel Aviv University; The Hebrew University in Jerusalem - in Givat Ram and Ma'ale Adumim; The Open University in Ra'anana; Weizmann Institute in Rehovot; The Sami Shimon Academic College of Engineering at the campuses in Beer Sheva and Ashdod; Mona Center in Sakhnin; the Sea and Lake Research Institute in Haifa and Eilat; Bar Ilan University - Ramat Gan Campus and Safed Campus; and Oranim College in Tivon.

The events are open to the general public of all ages free of charge from 17:00 until the wee hours of the night. Full details and programs of the participating institutions can be found On the website of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space:

The "Night of the Scientists" is the first Israeli project to receive funding from the European Union under the "Horizon 2020" program this year. The project was faced with larger and more similar events from Europe, and was chosen thanks to the great success of the last year with 55 thousand visitors to the event.