Science Year in Scotland Wacky Glasses and why they work
The world of colour that we see is dependent on our eyes, and objects appear a certain colour to us because of the light that they reflect back to our eyes. We only see light that reflects off an object and hits our eyes. We have special cells in our eyes that are sensitive to red, blue and green light. The way we see colours is dependent on the limitation of our eyes and they are very easy to fool.
We may see a light as one colour, but it may actually consist of lots of different colours or wavelengths. To show that visible light is made of different colours, we can use special optics, such as prisms, that bend light. Whenever light passes from one medium to another the light changes direction and its speed is also altered. This effect is called Refraction.For example, if we shine a ray of sunlight through a prism, we will see the various colours the light is composed of. This effect is caused by the different wavelengths of the various colours that make up sunlight. As each one will bend a different amount depending on its wavelength, so we see the range of colours as the light passes through the prism. Similarly we see rainbows because water droplets in the atmosphere act like small prisms, bending the sunlight.
The material used for the lenses in the Wacky Glasses causes a similar result, but works in a different way. There are lots of fine slits in the material, which is called a diffraction grating. When light passes through a diffraction grating, the slits cause interference between the rays of light passing through it. This phenomenon, Diffraction, is seen whenever light waves are obstructed by obstacles or apertures.

The ASE CD-roms
These aim to support work in the curriculum by incorporating resources and activities which are different and exciting enough to revive and generate enthusiasm among pupils and teachers (ie fun and exciting things to do in class). Science Year in Scotland, funded by SEED, distributed all five to secondary schools throughout Scotland. The topics covered are as follows: Who am I? looks at Diet, Health, DNA and Sex: Is there life out there? explores In space, In the earth, Robots and Consciousness: Can we, should we? considers Ethics, Gene therapy, Sustainability and Risk: Only Connect? covers Mobile phones, Transport, The brain & learning and Communicating Science: AKA Science looks at Science & Art, Proof & Truth, Science Fiction and Attitudes to Science.
In response to popular demand, the ASE also produced a CD specifically aimed at primary schools and SEED arranged for this to be distributed to Scottish schools.