But now in the classroom it’s time for the grand finale of the lab visit: Liquid nitrogen is being used to transform cream, eggs, sugar, and raspberries into fresh, delicious ice cream. The natural sciences aren’t only fun, as the girls and boys are learning here today — sometimes they even taste great too.

But pupils who took part in tours of the Merck production facilities didn’t have ice cream-making in mind when they repeatedly asked if the staff could perform their own experiments here. That isn’t permitted in fact — but the questions did inspire Christa Jansen to think about how the chemical company could offer a space for school classes where it would be possible. The idea for the Junior Laboratory then emerged from discussions with Barbara Albert from the TU. The chemistry department professor and dean had also been dreaming of a lab where children and teenagers in the third grades and higher would be able to gain hands-on familiarity with chemistry, in a manner appropriate for their age levels — and in addition to the instruction at their schools.

The result is the Junior Laboratory, a successful project whose impact is felt far beyond the Darmstadt region. Hanging on the classroom wall are colorful letters and drawings that the kids created to thank Wannowius and his staff for allowing them to visit. The older teenagers are also impressed by the lab — even if they do express their gratitude differently than the fourth-graders. “When a ‘Joe Cool’ high-school student says it wasn’t bad,” says the chemist with a laugh, “that translates as high praise for us.”