Can a Potato Serve as A Battery?

Potatoes are excellent sources of energy - not only on the plate, but also if you want to build a battery yourself. That is exactly what 32 young researchers did at the “Doors open with the mouse” day on 3 October at MEET Battery Research Center. Together with the scientists Dr Katrin Junghans and Dr Tobias Gallasch, the children between the ages of six and ten experimented and turned a tuber into a real power source that lit up a small diode.

At the same time, the young participants learned interesting facts about electricity and how batteries work. The two MEET battery researchers provided answers to numerous questions such as: What actually is electricity? How does a battery work? And why is there so much research into it?

But it was not only the little junior scientists who gained insights into research. During guided tours through the laboratories, MEET Board Members Dr Adrienne Hammerschmidt and Dr Falko Schappacher told the parents exciting facts and stories of one of the leading battery research centers in Germany. Since 2017, MEET Battery Research Center opens its doors to young scientists on the nationwide the “Doors Open with the Mouse” Day and gives interesting insights into the world of battery research.

Here Comes the Mouse!

Every year on German Unity Day, children throughout Germany have the opportunity to look behind doors that usually remain closed. At the event day "Doors open with the mouse", organized by the broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), children and parents experience factual stories like in the "Show with the Mouse" live on site. Almost 400 companies, factories, research laboratories, stadiums, farms, theatres, archives, workshops and initiatives open their doors to the public on this day.