The molecular aspects of nature are too often viewed as inaccessible and uninteresting to the general public. While the public can appreciate the beauty of a flower or a swan, the molecular basis of these organisms goes unnoticed. While scientists appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty of both small and macromolecules, this is rarely communicated to the public. Consequently, the public sees molecular science as something removed from their everyday life. Even worse, much of the public associates 'chemicals' with toxins and pollution.

With support from the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation and the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and its supporters and alumni, this project has developed a system for displaying large-scale interactive molecules in prominent public spaces. The first such system was installed in the new Integrated Sciences Building on campus (see listing at right for others). The aim is to capture the public's attention and to prod individuals to explore personally a vast array of molecular structures in a human-size "molecular playground," as shown in the movie below.

The presentations are targeted primarily to the nonscientist, focusing on the symmetry and beauty of molecules, large and small. Natural small molecule cofactors or life saving drugs are placed into larger ribbon view protein structures, for example, to illustrate their functional synergy. Authors strive for art-like presentations, while remaining true to the underlying chemistry. Animation, even in the absence of user interaction, is key. Help is available for those interested in authoring new presentations.

If you can't visit one of the installations (or if you have, but want to learn more), please browse through the list of molecules at left and click on one.

The Molecular Playground now has a blog. Please visit our blog and comment on either the installation or the WEB site. We welcome feedback!

Would you like to install your own Molecular Playground? Visit our installation instructions page and then contact us through the links above