Mark the Science Guy is fired up by new ways to teach science to kids

Mark Lantry is on a mission to teach children the wonders of science through fun experiments. His live shows at Fota Wildlife Park are designed to offer interactive entertainment for all the family

Mark Langtry will host live shows every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Fota Wildlife Park until August 17. Picture: Moya Nolan

Mark Langtry, aka Mark the Science Guy, believes that education is a superpower. “It’s what allows us to create the future we want and can make our dreams come true,” he says.

That’s what he tells the children and families who attend the live shows he’s hosting at Fota Wildlife Park every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between now and August 17. It’s also what he credits as the secret to his success as a theoretical physicist, former professional footballer, TV presenter on RTÉ’s Let’s Find Out, and head of science and sport at Explorium, Ireland’s National Science Centre.

“When I was a kid, I was curious about the world around me and interested in loads of different things, like most kids are,” says the now 35-year-old from Celbridge in Co Kildare. “I remember that we had a little book at home that explained how rainbows formed and why volcanoes erupted and that drew me to science and things like astronomy, physics, engineering, and inventions. Like many young boys, I also loved football. There were so many things I wanted to do and learn and be good at.”

Mark Langtry. Picture: Moya Nolan

While Lantry was deep in the ‘learning and doing’ trenches, he came to an important realisation.

“I discovered something in my quest to get better at football, running and everything else I liked,” he says. “The more I learned, the more I understood. The more I practised, the better I got. I realised that I had all I needed to achieve what I wanted. We all have it: It’s our brain, we just need to learn how to use it.”

That revelation also helped Langtry to overcome his innate shyness. “I had no confidence as a child and it really held me back,” he says. “But I wanted to change how I thought about myself and as I started performing better and developing discipline around learning, I also started developing more confidence to express myself and go after what I wanted.”

This eventually led him to signing as a professional footballer at the age of 18, studying theoretical physics at UCD and becoming a well-known face on children’s TV, where he introduces children to scientific theories while creating giant smoke-filled bubbles, generating a colourful explosion of 4,000 ping pong balls and liquid nitrogen or demonstrating the physics of football.

Practical yet fun

At every stage of his career, he has been in learning mode. “Education can be so transformative,” he says. “It gave me what I needed to go after what I wanted most and to live the life I wanted to live. That’s why I do my TV shows, live shows, and work with Explorium today. I feel it’s my mission to create and provide today’s children with learning opportunities so that they feel inspired to learn more and to work hard to achieve their dreams.”

If you’re worried that this sounds too worthy to be of interest to your children, rest assured that Langtry’s live shows, just like his TV shows, are always jam-packed with fun.

“I’ve designed the shows to be interactive, hands-on science shows for all the family,” he says. “They last for 40 minutes or so and show children that science is everywhere in the world that surrounds us. It’s practical yet it’s also fun. I do science experiments and demonstrations and invite the children up on stage to help me.”

Langtry says Fota is the perfect venue for his show. “It’s a place where children and families come to learn all about animals, wildlife and the environment,” he says. “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to expand their understanding of that a little.”

Ciara Murphy and Mark Langtry, presenters, and Zoom, captain of the space ship, The Curiosity, pictured on the set of their RTÉ science series. Picture: Denis Minihane.

He’s reluctant to give away too many details about the show. “I don’t want to spoil it for my audiences,” he says. “But anyone who has seen my TV show will recognise some of the experiments. Instead of simply watching them on a screen, this time they will get to do the experiments along with me.”

The show will also feature some sneak peeks of the next series of Let’s Find Out. “We’re filming 20 new episodes at the moment, focusing on climate, the environment, sustainability and biodiversity,” says Langtry.

“The shows in Fota will feature some experiments that we’ll have in that series alongside lots of information about how climate works, what’s happening to it, how our oceans move water around the Earth, the different forms of renewable energy and amazing facts about nature and what we can do to help the beautiful wildlife we have on our planet.”

The start of a journey

Langtry has been electrified by all things science from a young age.

“I remember being inspired by cool science shows I’d see on TV as a kid,” he says. “Those shows were super fun and taught me a lot. I used to think that I’d love to do something like that myself one day.”

He recalls visiting science museums and centres as a child. “Physically getting to touch things and do experiments was so great,” he says. “Those experiences are what inspired me to be part of the amazing team of people who created Explorium, the science centre in Sandyford in Dublin which features hundreds of interactive science exhibits.”

Mark Langtry at Explorium - National Science and Sport Centre, Sandyford, Co. Dublin. Picture: Moya Nolan

He also has memories of visiting the BT Young Science Exhibition as a teen. “I remember sitting in the audience looking up at the scientists doing experiments on stage and wishing I had the confidence to do something like that. I didn’t realise it at the time, but a seed was being planted then and a fire was being lit inside me. Fifteen years later, I was performing on that main stage and hoping that young people were looking up at me, being inspired in the same way I was.”

He continues to dream big. “My love of science is what started me off on this whole journey,” he says. “I’m still interested in science and am working on research into climate change with a team at King’s College, London. I’m still learning and trying to use my learning to address the biggest problem that’s facing us as humans.”

Natural love for science

In July, the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science published its report on the Future of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Stem). It identified Stem subjects as being vital in opening up opportunities for children no matter what path they choose to take in life.

This ties in perfectly with Langtry’s philosophy. “Young people have a natural love for science and are very curious, just like I was. They are trying to figure out the world and themselves and I love being able to help them in their development. I feel that I can ignite the spark which will then inspire them to feed their own minds. By showing them the superpower of education, they can use it to transform their world and the world of those around them.”

Find out more about Mark Langtry’s adventures in science by following him on @Mark_theScienceGuy on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube or by searching for Mark Langtry on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Book tickets for one of Mark’s shows at Fota here.