ABU DHABI // Thousands of children packed into the du Forum on Yas Island on Friday to build windmills, race Mars rovers and cheer on a rope-climbing robot named Skelly.
Now in its third year, the Abu Dhabi Science Festival opened with workshops intended to thrill, educate and inspire children to pursue a future in science and technology.
Sixty per cent of this year’s exhibits are new – but some favourites have returned.
“It has got a good buzz to it,” said Simon Gage, director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, which works with the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee to stage the annual interactive event.
“Once the word starts to get out, more and more people come and, by the end of the festival, we sell out. At this stage, it’s quite nice and calm, actually. So, I advise people who want to come, come early.
“Everyone loves to go to OR – Operation Room – it’s the simulation of an operating theatre using real surgical equipment on a very realistic ‘body’. The electronics workshop mad lab is also very popular.”
Visitors are met with a cacophony of sounds – the hum of motors, the hiss of thousands of balloons being inflated, the musical ring of mallets striking wooden xylophone keys and the giddy squeals of children making new discoveries.
“It’s really fun,” said Basel Abu Baker, 12, from Dubai, who was visiting the festival for the first time with his father, uncle and cousins.
“You get to do a lot of experiments and you watch a lot of shows, interesting shows. It makes you learn about science a lot.”
Karim Bekka, 11, from Abu Dhabi, was one of dozens of children bouncing with excitement in line for the Mars Rover workshop.
“I think this is awesome,” said Karim, who wants to be a scientist when he grows up. “My favourite subject in school is science, so I just want to see how we actually made the rovers.”
The children were guided by science communicators as they built their own rovers using household materials such as plastic cups, cotton, tape, paper clips and other materials.
“We need to just make them more curious about exploring and things relating to Nasa and air space,” said Mahra Al Kaizi, 21, a mechanical engineering student at UAE university who was acting as a science communicator at the exhibit. “Our goal is not just to make them slide the car, we want to make them think out of the box.”
At the Operating Room surgery workshop, children were dressed in surgeon caps and coats as they operated on very lifelike “sick” patients using real medical tools and equipment.
It is not uncommon for some children to faint at the true-to-life workshop.
But 11-year-old Sarra Sfaxi was not one of them. She liked the part where they used a needle to draw blood from the patient’s arm.
Sarra said she wanted to be a doctor when she grows up “because I want to help other people to not be sick”.
Another big draw at the festival was a 1.82-metre, 50-kilogram robot named Skelly. Children chanted its name and coaxed it to climb a rope as high as the ceiling.
“It was so complex, it was so amazing that a robot could actually climb a rope,” said Jaiveer Chadda, a 10-year-old who was visiting with his family from Dubai.
Entry to the du Forum costs Dh10 for children aged five to 15 and Dh5 for adults, with children under five free. The event boasts 32 hands-on workshops that each take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete.
These require prior registration, which can be done online at abudhabisciencefestival.ae or in person. Children can reserve up to three workshops per day.
The festival is also being held at the Corniche East Plaza, with free exhibits that offer visitors short, interactive presentations and workshops.
The festival ends on November 23.
rpennington@thenational.ae
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Results for Stage 2
Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race
Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)
Paatal Lok season two
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
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Other workplace saving schemes
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- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Company%20profile
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
RESULTS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
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THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 10am:
Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)
Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog
Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan
Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)
Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)
Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)
Court 1
Starting at 10am:
Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska
Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh
Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet
Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)
Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage
Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse
Court 2
Starting at 10am:
Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang
Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka
Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic
Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri
Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova
Court 3
Starting at 10am:
Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang
Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar
Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Zodi%20%26%20Tehu%3A%20Princes%20Of%20The%20Desert
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars