Last weekend, the town’s main square was transformed into the laboratory area, where scientists and students showed that chemistry is not merely interesting science, but also a unique cognitive entertainment for adults and children.

“The aim of the Live Chemistry Day was to show the importance of chemistry in our daily life and to encourage the interest of young people in science creating future. Seeing such great involvement of children and young persons into this chemistry event makes us believe that chemistry will become part of the lives for many of them,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, General Director of ORLEN Lietuva.

The General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted a resolution proclaiming the year 2011 as the International Year of Chemistry. Lithuania’s largest chemical enterprise ORLEN Lietuva has joined the initiative with a program propagating chemical science, patronized by the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO.

The Live Chemistry Day in Mažeikiai drew hundreds of people, while the Game Chemistry Tent was the most popular with the youngest participants. Here the children painted, moulded, made various balloon figures and created chemical links. In the nearby Fun Chemistry Lab, ice burned, balloons filled with hydrogen exploded, and the bubbling “elephant teeth” emerged from the chemical compounds regularly used at homes.

The students in the Life Chemistry Tent told about the photosynthesis, showed how to extract the tomato DNA, and denaturated the egg albumen. The experts of the Sensual Analysis Lab of the Food Institute of Kaunas University of Technology revealed, through experiments, recognition of various tastes by people.

Until the end of the day, the longest line was at the Akvatechnika mobile lab, which made about fifty water tests. Water brought by the residents of Mažeikiai almost in all cases met the requirements. A dance based on the chemical reaction formulas and performed by lindy hop dancers from Klaipėda closed the day.

This year, ORLEN Lietuva will invite to the Live Chemistry Days in other towns as well. During the events, people will be able to learn about various ways of using chemistry in our daily life – chemistry in our organism, food, drinks, cosmetics, homes, industry, energy sector, science, and art.

For more information on the International Year of Chemistry, please refer to the special site www.chemistry2011.org.