500 Greater Cincinnatians equipped with bottles of Diet Coke and a roll of Mentos set out to launch the largest number of Mentos Geysers ever to be set off all at once in one location. Drum roll please… and the first ever Mentos Guinness World Record for “Most Mentos and Soda Fountains” goes to a large crowd of wet people in Cincinnati. According to the press release, each of the 500 participants were given nice goody bag stuffed with candy, a Mentos geyser loading tube, goggles and a rain slicker. The loading tube they used is similar to the Geyser Tube but there’s no build-up of pressure like the real Geyser Tube. The guys from Eepybird (the lab coat and goggle wearing guys who created that cool video on YouTube) entertained everyone with a few of their cool choreographed displays and then they led the big count down.

Here’s a look from the inside of the record setting event.

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Only a very cool teacher gives this kind of homework to her students… “Using only construction paper and tape, I want you to design a rocket.” Lisa Heaton, the Gifted and Talented teacher showed her students a specially designed rocket launcher made out of PVC plumbing parts from the local hardware store. The idea for the PVC rocket launcher comes from U.S. Space Camp for Educators curriculum. I had the privilege of assisting Mrs. Heaton with the launch of the paper rockets. As the students will share in the comments below, the first launch revealed their design strengths and flaws. The five students with the best launch served as mentors for the rest of the students as they returned to the classroom to repair and redesign their paper rockets. The second launch proved to be the real learning experience - be sure to read comments from the young rocketeers below.

“This rocket launch activity coincides with the students reading Rocket Boys (also known as October Sky) by Homer Hickam. I want these kids to experience first hand the feeling of failure and success through the trial and error process of building their own rockets… and this air-powered rocket launcher does the trick,” says Lisa Heaton as she turns to help a 5th grader repair a rocket that didn’t fair well during the first launch.

These 5th graders are also using this hands-on science experience to learn about the science of blogging (pun intended). Student bloggers from Mrs. Heaton’s class in past years posted blog comments about their rocket experience that were even read by Homer Hickam (the author of October Sky) himself. Be sure to read the student comments below.

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I want to thank the 18,950 people who cast their votes for yours truly in the TIME Magazine Poll for the Top 100 Most Influential People of 2007. As I mentioned in a previous post, I was stunned when an editor from the magazine called me about the nomination on April 19th. The editors of TIME encouraged readers to help them narrow their choice down from 204 nominees to the top 100. I wish that there was a way to thank all of you who took the time to share your comments with the TIME readers. I’m honored by your kind words… but it’s really a reflection of all of our efforts to get kids excited about science.

Let me try to answer the most asked question… If you placed 18th in the poll, why aren’t you in the magazine? I’m told that the magazine is different than the on-line poll. The editors at TIME select the Top 100 on their own while the reader’s cast their own votes (which is a really good thing if you look at the amazing people who are in the magazine). Listen, I’m just thrilled (and amazed) to be included on the nomination list let alone find some way to finish up at #18 on the readers choice poll… thanks to you. I’m honored.

A special thank you to Al Lewis for his article in the Denver Post.

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