We’re off to see the Wizard on a yellow brick road that also…wait for it…defies gravity, thanks to the magic of science and magnets!

This weekend, we’re hosting Wicked Science, a thrillifying event in collaboration with Science Outreach at Princeton University and the Department of Chemistry. In addition to a 45 minutes auditorium show, the event features hands-on tables staffed by Princeton University undergraduate and graduate students. The cool golden magnet tiles you see above are part of a game called Kollide (ages 8+, retails for $15).

To play the game, you arrange a rope in a circle and divide the 20 magnets evenly amongst the players (you can have up to four players at a time). Then each player takes a turn placing a magnet in the circle. As you can guess, the more magnets in the circle, the more they get attracted to one another and start scooting, twisting, and snapping together. If that happens, you pick up the bundle of snapped magnets and your turn is over. The first player to get rid of all their magnets without any magnets clumping together wins!

It’s super fun, especially when the magnets start to threateningly wiggle and move as you try to place them, then suddenly snap together. It’s like magic!