In May 2020 we ran a competition where children made their own science themed hats. We were overwhelmed with entries and it was so difficult to choose a winner! Congratulations to George age 8 who made this fantastic light up hat, made completely out of lemons! Lemons aren’t actually electric but can be made into a circuit through an electro-chemical reaction. The citric acid in the lemon acts as an electrolyte, a solution that conducts electricity. You then need to put something zinc (like a nail) into one side of the lemon. The zinc reacts with the citric acid to make a negative charge. In the other side of the lemon should be something copper (like a penny). The copper reacts with the citric acid to make a positive charge. Electrons will always flow from a negative charge to a positive charge so if you put something electric (e.g. a light) between the copper penny and the zinc nail, it may light up!   Out competition may be over but you can still make your own science hat. Your hat can be made of paper, a bucket, a basket, a bowl or even – a hat! Just decorate your hat with a scientific concept, idea or picture. Home science kits can also be purchased through our online shop.