Bringing Science and Celebration to Life: An Interview with Sarah Spivey on Magic Milk Fireworks at the San Antonio Zoo

Interested in celebrating the U.S.A. and learning some science at the same time? Check out Sarah’s exciting science experiment, where she creates magic milk fireworks with the San Antonio Zoo! Tune in to GMSA@9 on Wednesdays to watch Meteorologist Sarah Spivey demonstrate the experiment and explain the science behind it.

Looking to recreate this fun experiment at home? All you need is a pie tin, whole milk, cookie cutters (optional), red and blue food dye, dish soap, and a dropper (optional). Begin by filling the bottom of a pie tin with a thin layer of milk, placing cookie cutters in the milk (if using), and dropping red and blue food dye onto the milk. Next, use a dropper or q-tip with a small amount of soap to drip soap into the pan and watch as the colors fan out, creating magic milk fireworks.

The soap breaks down fat molecules in the milk, causing it to break apart in different directions. This is how soap works to clean up particles and food residue. If you’re interested in having Sarah come to your school for a live science demonstration, simply fill out an application form on their website. Winners will be selected at random!