Miniature masterpieces exhibition at Bahrain Science Centre

Manama: As part of its celebration of ‘Great Inventions' during November and December 2013, the Bahrain Science Centre , a part of the Ministry of Social Development , has mounted an exhibition called ‘Miniature Masterpieces'.

This exhibition celebrates 50 small inventions that have made a big impact on our lives.  The inventions range from ones made thousands of years ago, such as the fish hook, key and dice, to some made hundreds of years ago, such as metal coins, the magnetic compass, fork and mirror, and even the toothbrush and false teeth!

More modern inventions are also included in the exhibition, such as the camera, safety pin, aspirin, spark plug, light bulb, zip fastener, audio tape, paper clip, ballpoint pen, Slinky, transistor and Velcro. Finally, inventions from the modern electronic and digital age are included, such as the CD, credit card, integrated circuit, diode, pocket calculator, digital watch, computer mouse, cell phone and MP3 Player.

Each ‘Miniature Masterpiece' is clearly labeled with the name of the inventor, date and place of invention, and story behind the invention. Some inventions have interesting stories to tell. For instance, Velcro was invented by Swiss electrical engineer, George de Mestral, who noticed that plant seeds stuck to his clothes after a hike in the Alps. He examined the seeds under the microscope and found that they had tiny hooks that hooked into loops on his clothes. He copied Nature's idea, and made a fortune.

The exhibit targets youngsters from all ages. Interested visitors can download the weekly programme on the website www.bahrainsciencecentre.com for more information.

The Bahrain Science Centre is located in Building 334, Road 109, Block 801, Riyadh Avenue, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain and can be contacted on 17686466