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In the last 16 years Dale Ells has taken the Colchester Historeum’s newsletter from a very small paper to a 16-page publication filled with local history.
Junior scientists from across the country gathered in Bible Hill to compete in a agricultural science fair.
A selection of 18 finalists presented their projects to the public and judges during the third annual 4-H Canada Science Fair hosted at the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus on Friday, showcasing a variety of different agriculture-based experiments.
“My project was about extracting Chitin and Chitosan from lobster shells using a cost-effective method involving household products,” said Naleah Lavoie from Prince Edward Island.
“Chitin and Chitosan can both be used to create a biodegradable plastic, and can be used in water processing plants, cosmetics for a seed coating to protect from fun- gus, so they have a lot of industrial uses.”
Using vinegar and lye as substitutes for hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, Lavoie was able to cut the cost of extracting Chitin by 10.5 times per 100 grams from its original cost, and by 7.5 times for Chitosan. Cost effectiveness, safer and even eating bugs as a form of processes and clever innovation protein. using household items were other “Originally, I planned to do pro-topics explored within the 14 project on bilingualism, but had to end jects on display, ranging from stud-up cancelling because I didn’t have ies on intelligence based on nature enough time. I had to find a new versus nurture, choosing the best project, which is when my mom feed to make productive calves suggested crickets,” said Amanda Hardman, whose project was called Crickets For Lunch.
“My project takes a look at using a food waste diet to raise the common household cricket to use for human protein. I used a dehydrated food waste diet and fed it to crickets for two weeks until they reached adulthood. Because these crickets would be used for human consumption, their diet gives them much more protein than a normal cricket. I still haven’t tried one, although I think I may soon. The ick factor is slowly going away.”
After the final judging on Friday, the finalists were invited to the Discovery Centre in Halifax to take a tour before setting up their projects for the public to view.
A selection will be made from the final judging at a later date to decide who of the finalists will continue on to the Canada-wide science fair later this year.