ESCAPE ROOM
1ST EDITION
12 Jan 2024
Instructions
3. When a new slide appears, please wait until all contents are visible on the screen before clicking any buttons;
4. When the symbol is visible, click on it to move to the next slide;
5. If the symbol is missing, it means that you are on an active slide. To continue your escape room quest you should select and click the specific area of the slide.
GOOD LUCK!
This is marvellous Planet Earth, where Humankind lives and thrives.
However, Earth faces a new, deadly enemy, which threatens to put an end to life as we know it…
… an enemy created by Humankind itself. Wherever it passes, it leaves the trail of death, contamination and destruction…
… an enemy created by Humankind itself. Wherever it passes it leaves the trail of death, contamination and destruction…
The POLLUTION MONSTER
Wherever the Pollution Monster passes, tragedy is unleashed - Land Degradation, Biodiversity Loss, and Climate Chaos – these are the only things left behind…
Unleash Your Inner Hero: Earth's Last Stand Against the Pollution Monster!
Can You Save Our Planet?
Help our scientists in preparing algae balls to power a supersonic gun to defeat the Pollution Monster!
LET’S DO IT!!!
This is the Center of New Technologies of the University of Warsaw in the Ochota Campus.
Here, the Solar Fuels Laboratory (SFL) is located, where some of the brightest scientific minds are developing sustainable technologies to power the Planet with sunlight and remove pollutants from the environment using microalgae.
LET’S GO!
Such a nice and classy place, eh?
The SFL Headquarters are located on the 2nd floor of the Experimental Building (on the right)…
Here the SFL scientists cultivate the “green action heroes” that will help save Planet Earth…
Who are they?
Here the SFL scientists cultivate the “green action heroes” that will help save Planet Earth…
Who are they
(click the correct answer)
TROLLS
MICROALGAE
BRAINS
CHOCOLATE
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
CORRECT!
The SFL scientists grow and study extremophilic microalgae and employ them for the production of renewable energy, high value products and the removal of pollutants from the environment.
But do you know what extremophilic microalgae are?
Organisms that thrive at low pH (2.5), high temperature (56°C) and in the presence of various pollutants (high salt, heavy metals etc.)
Small unicellular (single cell) microbes that use photosynthesis for living
Microalgae that live in extreme environments such as volcanic hot springs
All of the above
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
CORRECT!
Extremophilic microalgae are small, single cell algae that use sunlight for photosynthesis and growth. They can be found in extreme environments such as volcanic hot springs, where they thrive in acidic pH, moderate high temperature (up to 56°C) and in the presence of high salt, heavy metals etc.
This makes them very robust and perfect for the SFL Team to use them for their rescue mission.
Now it’s time to prepare our algae bullets for the supersonic gun!
Let's go to the SFL labs.
THE SUPERSONIC GUN
Behind this door, the SFL Team fights off new threats to Planet Earth on a daily basis.
That's why once you go through these doors, you must be very careful. The first thing to do will be…
Take a selfie with your heroes!
Prepare some popcorn, I’m starving!
Stay safe: wear lab protective gear
Start to run and scream, this is too much stress for me!
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
CORRECT!
Now we can enter.
Let’s open the door!
To turn right
This is the SFL Dark Room. The Team works here in the dark with only safety green light to protect green action microbes from degradation.
But without further delay, let’s find and put on some personal protective gear (gloves, goggles and lab coats) before continuing on our rescue mission.
To turn left
PERFECT!
You found the gloves, now only the lab coats are missing.
Go and put one on.
PERFECT!
You found the lab coats, now only the lab gloves are missing.
Go and put them on.
PERFECT!
Now you are wearing essential personal protective equipment.
Let’s go to the main lab.
To turn left
To the main lab
Come closer
The main lab
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
1
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
1
2
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
1
2
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
3
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
1
2
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
3
4
OOPS… WRONG ANSWER…
Click the arrow below to proceed
TRY AGAIN
For making algae balls we need to prepare two solutions:
How can we prepare a solution?
(click the answers in the correct order)
We calculate the proper amount of the reagent for weighing out
We take a weighing boat and tare the scales
We put the reagent in a beaker and add some water
We adjust the final volume with ultrapure water
We wait for the reagent to dissolve with stirring
1
2
We weigh out a proper amount of the reagent
3
4
5
CORRECT!
Now that you know the procedure to prepare a solution, select 5 items that you need to use (in order):
1. Laboratory scales
CORRECT!
Now that you know the procedure to prepare a solution, select 5 items that you need to use (in order):
2. Weighing boats
CORRECT!
Now that you know the procedure to prepare a solution, select 5 items that you need to use (in order):
3. Measuring spoon
CORRECT!
Now that you know the procedure to prepare a solution, select 5 items that you need to use (in order):
4. Reagents
CORRECT!
Now that you know the procedure to prepare a solution, select 5 items that you need to use (in order):
5. Beaker with water
CORRECT!
You successfully prepared the solutions!!!
Sodium alginate
Calcium chloride
Sodium alginate
Calcium chloride
Now we mix the microalgae cell suspension with the sodium alginate solution.
Microalgae culture
Calcium chloride
Now we mix the microalgae cell suspension with the sodium alginate solution.
Come closer
Microalgae/alginate mixture
Calcium chloride
Take a Pasteur pipette to dispense the microalgae/alginate mixture
Microalgae/alginate mixture
Calcium chloride
Take a Pasteur pipette to dispense the microalgae/alginate mixture
Microalgae/alginate mixture
Calcium chloride
Add the microalgae/alginate mixture dropwise to the calcium chloride solution to form the algae balls
Microalgae/alginate mixture
Calcium chloride
Add the microalgae/alginate mixture dropwise to the calcium chloride solution to form the algae balls
Microalgae/alginate mixture
Calcium chloride
Add the microalgae/alginate mixture dropwise to the calcium chloride solution to form the algae balls
Microalgae/alginate mixture
ALGAE BALLS
Calcium chloride
Add the microalgae/alginate mixture dropwise to the calcium chloride solution to form the algae balls
Microalgae/alginate mixture
ALGAE BALLS
LET’S GO DESTROY THE POLLUTION MONSTER!!!
The POLLUTION MONSTER
LET’S FIRE THE GREEN BALLS!!!
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The POLLUTION MONSTER
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
YOU DEFEATED THE MONSTER!
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
YOU RESTORED THE ECOSYSTEM!
The power of
ALGAE BALLS
YOU SAVED PLANET EARTH!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, COMRADE!
The Team
Thank you for your endeavours, dedication and commitment!
This educational game was created by Francesca Marchetto
email: f.marchetto@cent.uw.edu.pl
Solar Fuels Laboratory, Center of New Technologies, University of Warsaw,
02-097 Warsaw, Poland
Acknowledgements:
Funding was obtained from the Polish National Science Centre (OPUS17 grant no. 2019/33/B/NZ3/01870). We thank Katherine Shwartz for animation ideas and proofreading.
© F. Marchetto, SFL CeNT UW, 2024.
All rights reserved.
Dr. Mateusz
Abram
Dr. Margot Jacquet
Dr. Miriam Izzo
Francesca Marchetto, MSc
Marcin Kuliński, MSc
Prof. Joanna Kargul
The pictures used were licensed by CC BY-NC-ND, CC BY, CC BY-SA.