About the Polonium Zone
Polonium was discovered by Marie Curie in 1898 and was named after her native land of Poland, in the hope that this would publicise the country’s lack of independence at the time. Because it’s unstable and radioactive Polonium is difficult to handle, and can be dangerous even in very small amounts. It’s very hazardous if swallowed or inhaled which means it has to be handled very carefully and is only used for a few things, like inside batteries for space satellites and on brushes to remove dust from films.
The Polonium Zone is a general science zone, with a mix of scientists from different backgrounds. You’ll meet one scientist who studies how black holes grow, a doctor researching how to reduce harm caused by tests and treatments and a scientist trying to prevent cyber crimes using the Turing Test. There is also a scientist researching how to try and stop bumblebees from becoming extinct and another working on ways to improve our muscles, making us run faster and jump higher.