Imperial College London - Reach out to young Einsteins

Universities have been urged to do more to help schoolchildren experience scientific experiments at first hand to inspire them to study the subject. Lord Winston, professor of science and society at Imperial College London, made the call as the university opened a laboratory developed specifically for school pupils. The Reach Out Lab, which was opened last week, will be used for summer schools, demonstration lectures and school-mentoring programmes. Lord Winston said: "What we know from research is that hands-on, practical work - doing experiments, making explosions - is what gets children excited about science."