Woman and boy watch through a microscope in purple deepsea setting

NIOZ Open Day Texel

On Saturday 3 October NIOZ Texel will open its doors to the public, offering a behind-the-scenes look at marine research. With activities, experiments and talks, NIOZ staff will share their research, passion, and the wonderful world of the sea with visitors of all ages.

 

 

Sea, Science, Society 

Are you curious to the very bottom? Dive into the depths at our Open Day! Experience life on board with our Virtual Ship, observe marine life through a microscope and get hands-on with DNA, microbes, plankton and deep-sea research. There will also be talks, an exhibition marking 150 years of NIOZ and demonstrations of our research equipment.  This is how we’ll show you how water, science and our world are all connected.

Below are a few examples of the many things to do on the day. We’ll be updating the programme regularly over the coming weeks, so keep an eye on this webpage. 

Practical information

  • Date: Saturday 3 October
  • Time: 10:00 until 16:00
  • Location: Landsdiep 4, 1797 SZ Den Hoorn (Texel), next to the ferry
  • Entrance: free, no registration needed
  • Suitable for visitors of all ages

Do it yourself: DNA extraction 

At NIOZ, we extract DNA from bacteria, plants and animals found in the sea. DNA tells us exactly which species are present (biodiversity) and how this is changing as a result of human influence. And today, you can do it yourself as well! Isolate DNA from a strawberry using items you can find in your kitchen cupboard: salt, soap, water and alcohol. If you do it right, you’ll be able to see the DNA with your own eyes. Work in a real laboratory and learn how to work hygienically, so that your own DNA doesn’t get mixed up with that of the strawberry.

Young girl wearing protective glasses uses a pipet to do an experiment

DNA isolation during the NIOZ Open Day (Photo: NIOZ/Evalien Weterings

Dive into the deep sea 

The deep sea remains largely undiscovered. But contrary to what many people think, it’s teeming with life! And all those animals and plants have adapted to the harsh conditions so deep in the ocean. What sort of animals do you think live in the deep sea? Discover it in our deep sea experience lab, or make a deep sea creature yourself in our craft corner.

Children and one adult sit around a table doing handy crafts

Make your own deep-sea creature at the NIOZ Open Day (Photo: Evalien Weterings)

The puzzle of the food web 

An alga is eaten by a fish, which in turn is eaten by a bird. That seems like a simple chain of predation. But in reality, the food web is much more complex. Can you piece together the puzzle of the food web in the Wadden Sea? 

Small knot foraging on wet mudflat, probing the water with its bill for food.

Adult knot searching for food on the mud flats of the Wadden Sea (photo: Benjamin Gnep)

From delta to deep sea: a range of public lectures 

At NIOZ, we’ve been conducting marine research for 150 years: from the delta to the deep sea and from climate to biodiversity. During a range of public lectures, NIOZ staff from all sorts of disciplines talk about their work. What can we learn from the many billions of micro-organisms in the sea? How do ocean currents affect our climate – and what would happen if they came to a standstill? Why is the Wadden Sea so important for migratory birds? And also: what is it actually like on board a research vessel?

Lecture seen from the public in a dimly lit lecture hall

Lecture programma during the NIOZ Open Day (Photo: Evalien Weterings)