Observe and Connect to Real Scientists at COSI!

Labs in Life Now Open!

A partnership between COSI and The Ohio State University for a more healthy community

New Exhibition Area

Real Working Labs

Observe Real Working Research Labs

Labs in Life is a state-of-the-art laboratory where physical activity research is conducted in three new laboratory spaces within COSI's Life exhibition area. You will see researchers from The Ohio State University at work conducting studies on physical activity, nutrition, and body composition using cutting-edge equipment.

The OSU researchers will conduct studies on:

  • The causes and solutions to childhood obesity.
  • Metabolic syndrome and metabolism in athletes.
  • Nutrition and bone density in female athletes.
  • Physical activity and bone health.
  • The relationship between athletic performance, nutrition, functional capacity, and body composition.

You will see real research in action, discover more about the science behind the research, and experience fun interactive activities about how to have a healthy and active lifestyle.

Take Part in Real Research

  • Presidential Fitness Challenge vs. BodyTest Study
    Boys and girls ages 8-11 years old
    The Presidential Fitness Challenge will evaluate your performance in a shuttle run, an endurance walk/run, a sit-and-reach test, push-ups, and curl-ups. The electronic BodyTest system will evaluate your body weight, body fat, resting blood pressure, heart rate, biceps strength, and trunk flexibility and you performance in a cardio fitness test. Information from this study will help the researchers determine the impact of fitness testing on a person’s motivation. All tests will be conducted at COSI in the OSU Labs in Life.
    For more information: email Carmen Swain, Ph.D., or call 614.292.5959.
  • Body Test Study
    Boys and girls ages 8-11 years old
    Subjects may participate in fitness testing which consisits of traditional field tests such as the: shuttle run, endurance walk/run, a sit-and-reach test, push-ups, and curl-ups. Or, subjects will be tested using a more technological method to evaluate: body weight, body fat, resting blood pressure, heart rate, biceps strength, trunk flexibility and performance in a cycling fitness test. Subjects will also be asked to answer a few short questions regarding motivation to exercise. Information from this study will help the researchers determine the impact of fitness testing on a child's motivation. All tests will be conducted at COSI in the OSU Labs in Life.
    For more information: email Carmen Swain, Ph.D., or call 614.292.5959.
     

Life: The Story of You

View Models of the Birthing Process

View Models of the Birthing Process

We are curious about our bodies, awed by the power of our minds, and eager to probe the depths of our own human spirit. COSI's Life exhibition tells the story of you through three areas: Body, Mind, and Spirit. From birth to death and many steps in between, Life explores what makes us human.

Some of What You Can See and Do

  • Birth - Trace the first moments of life from conception through birth, including both the biological process and the emotional response to the birth of a new human being. View sculptural models of the various stages of birth and video interviews with couples on their highly personal journey to have a baby including footage of a live birth. This is a great place to share your ideas and questions about the beginning of life.
  • Aging - Use artificial aging computer software to age an image of your face. Aging is a complicated event in a living organism. Cells in the body age too, which is part of what causes the changes of aging. There are only a certain number of times a body cell can divide and grow before the chromosomes in the nucleus become too damaged to function properly and the cell dies.

Life Stage Live Shows

Rat Basketball

Rat Basketball

  • Rat Basketball - Explore operant conditioning and different ways of learning. Learn about the physical traits of our resident superstars, a pair of Japanese black-hooded rats. It all leads up to a thrilling game of one-on-one where you can cheer your favorite rat on to victory!
  • The Mind Show - Explore the world of optical illusions. Learn how we can take advantage of shortcuts and mistakes our brains make to trick them into seeing things differently than they really are. A COSI team member will help you trick your mind with several illusions including the Ames window and Stroop effect.

Activities in Life for Younger Visitors

  • Body Noises Keyboard - Hold younger infants near the keyboard and allow him or her to touch several keys. Show older infants how to touch specific keys. This will enhance their fine motor skills as well as their understanding of cause and effect. This exhibit demonstrates contrast between different sounds. Your baby will begin to notice that when they touch the keyboard, it will produce a body sound. This is the beginning groundwork for their understanding of cause and effect. Infants can also begin to localize sound in their environment.
  • Praxinoscope - Hold your infant in front of the exhibit and encourage your child to reach for the hands and gaze into the mirrors. Mirrors are wonderful objects that foster the development of self awareness. Your child will be able to find and grab the objects which may move after the baby grabs at them. This will enable your child to develop their perception of depth. Allow 8 to 12 inches between your infant and the exhibit in order to visually focus on the objects.
  • Body Noises Keyboard - Have your toddler press a specific key and ask him or her a question such as "What body part goes with this sound?" or "Can you point to the part of the body that makes that sound?" With an emerging interest in cause and effect, toddlers are often intrigued with this exhibit since it makes sounds when the keys are touched. Toddlers have a motivation for self-assertion and mastery of the world around them. They feel empowered every time they can see their direct influence on an object.
  • Echo-Free Room - While you are standing in this room with your preschooler, ask him or her specific questions about what he or she hears and how it is different than being outside the room. Have them close their eyes and point to where they think you are as you talk. This exhibit area allows children to experience sound under conditions of complete sound absorption to show the effect that the lack of echoes has on our ability to judge the direction of sound. Children at this age construct schemas (mental representations of how the world works). In this exhibit, the child's schema of sound is challenged, stimulating further scientific exploration. You can continue this exploration of sound later in a setting that is not insulated against echoes.
  • Body Noises Keyboard - Question your preschooler about the body location of each sound. Facilitate further discussion with open ended questions; instead of asking a question with a yes or no answer like "Do you make that noise?" ask a question that facilitates more thinking and a more elaborate answer such as "Why do people make those noises?" The child can further his understanding of cause and effect when one of the keys is pushed and a body noise is heard. Preschoolers have a growing curiosity about the physical functioning of their bodies. As a child transitions from a toddler to a preschooler, secondary emotions develop such as pride, shame, and embarrassment.