Those who have wondered how to know a fish’s age can find out from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday in the Library Quad, when the biological sciences department hosts a “pop-up” science experiment.

During the experiment, students will remove the otolith, which is the ear bone of a fish, and count the rings on it to find its age.

“It’s like how you would count the rings in a tree,” Jessica Rohr, a graduate student studying biological sciences, said.

The pop-up experiment coincides with Monday’s Open House for prospective students.

Current students from the biological sciences department have been traveling to high schools and performing experiments with them, which is where the idea to do a pop-up experiment during Eastern’s Open House originated.

“It’s an incentive we’re trying to get them to come to Eastern,” Rohr said.

Prospective students who come to the Open House who have already performed the otolith experiment in their high school will be invited to help show others how do it on Monday.

“Performing the experiment gives them the chance to be even more involved,” Rohr said.

The biological sciences department hopes to continue the “Pop-Up” science experiments a couple of times a semester.

The department has gotten great responses from the high school teachers and students after doing the experiments, Rohr said.

“The students have absolutely loved it,” she said. “We get pictures from teachers — (the students’) faces are wide-eyed. None of them look bored. They have smiles on their faces.”

Rohr said the department wants to try to visit these schools once a month to talk about different topics.

“We can’t talk about everything in one class period,” she said. “They are very excited for us to come back.”

Along with the experiment, games such as a three-legged man race will be played with prizes.

All students are allowed to participate in this experiment.

Cassie Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or cjbuchman@eiu.edu.