Following in Eratosthenes’ footsteps
An ancient experiment in schools around the world!
The Eratosthenes Experiment, organized by Ellinogermaniki Agogi’s [EA] Research and Development Department, on Friday 21 March 2014, in Athens Greece, on the occasion of the previous day’s equinox, received an overwhelming response, as 350 schools from 37 countries participated in this celebration of science and education, calculating the circumference of the Earth by using eLearning educational tools and simple instruments.
Students and teachers from Ghana, Canada, Chile, the U.S., China, India, Australia, Europe and elsewhere collaborated in forming online teams, exchanging data and measurements, in order to repeat the experiment of the Greek mathematician, Eratosthenes (276 BC-194 BC). It is this experiment that enabled Eratosthenes to prove that the Earth was a sphere, and to measure its circumference. A Photo Contest capturing schools’ involvement and teamwork in the experiment also took place.
The organizers aim to turn this international educational activity into an important world event, giving students, teachers and parents from around the world the opportunity to actively engage in building online learning communities, exchanging ideas and material through innovative initiatives, such as the Open Discovery Space and the Inspiring Science Education projects.
For more information on the Eratosthenes Experiment and other innovative activities and projects under the Inspiring Science Education Project [ISE], schools and teachers may contact their national contact points or visit the websites: http://www.inspiringscience.eu and http://eratosthenes.ea.gr.
