Aug 12, 2005 By Frances Borsodi Zajac 5 min read

Uniontown native Mysty Litman stands at the entrance of the Carnegie Science Center’s latest traveling exhibit, a bright, vivid roomful of fun called “Candy Unwrapped,’ and smiles at the scene. “It’s not just about candy,’ says Litman, now a resident of Westmoreland County who works as a staff educator for traveling exhibits at the science center. “It’s about so many different things. It runs the gamut from cultural views of candy to the psychological aspects. It’s a fun, fun exhibit, colorful and vibrant, but at the same time, we’re talking about more than what’s your favorite candy.’

Indeed, “Candy Unwrapped,’ which was created by the Ontario Science Center, deals with biology, chemistry, physiology and psychology in a such a sweet way that visitors don’t always realize they are being educated.

“It’s learning, but in a very fun, hands-on way,’ said Litman, who noted that students often recall these science center lessons months later during studies in a regular classroom. “They remember, ‘Hey, we studied that at the science center.’ It’s very fun learning that does stay with you.’

And what a way to learn: jumping on a giant, cushy tongue while taste buds light up, showing exactly where those taste buds are located; tasting a super sour candy and watching your face as it puckers up, to learn why people make faces when eating sour food; pedaling a bike to find out how many calories you can burn in 60 seconds (several visitors recently observed burned an average of just two); and learning how sugar and honey have healing powers and can be used to fight infection.

Then there’s Litman’s favorite, “Delectable Delights,’ which reveals how something Pittsburgh visitors might cringe from eating – a silkworm pupae – is actually a treat for someone in another culture.

Visitors at this display can choose from a menu that includes entrees such as chicken and fries, or scrambled eggs and bacon. They punch in a code number for their order and openings light up to reveal which insects actually taste similar to these foods.

The chicken and fries are close in taste to a tarantula with wax moth larvae, while the scrambled eggs and bacon order serves a dish of grubs with flying ants.

But as Litman points out, “What you consider tasty depends on where you live.’

The exhibit also points out the nutritional value of insects, noting that 100 grams of crickets has only 5.5 grams of fat, while 110 grams of beef has 21.2 grams of fat.

“One of our biggest goals is looking at diversity,’ Litman said.

Those not willing to taste insects can try different types of sweets. One of the displays, “It’s a Tasty World,’ talks about treats in different countries.

For example, torrone is a nougat candy popular in Italy, while ginger cookies are a favorite in China and maple sugar scores high marks in Canada.

Another exhibit, “Sugar Stack,’ compares how much sugar the average Canadian and average American consume in a lifetime and studies products with refined sugar, sugar substitutes and natural sugar.

And, those who don’t think there’s sugar in their diet because they stay away from candy should think again. “Sugar Works’ reminds visitors there’s sugar in other foods – even apples. But the display can help people make decisions on healthful foods to eat because it gives details of other nutritional aspects of the foods.

Another fun display can remind visitors of the time they were told to hold their nose when taking medicine that tasted bad.

Called “Who Nose Flavors,’ the display asks people to hold their nose while eating a jelly bean and then guess the flavor.

“A Bar is Born’ gives a history lesson on chocolate, which was first enjoyed as a drink and now is consumed in various forms.

Visitors can take a walk down memory lane by taking whiffs of various scents – such as vanilla, cinnamon or anise – and saying what the smells remind them of. Scent and memory are strongly linked. One visitor wrote that peppermint reminded him of going to camp with his family, and another said that anise reminded her of her mother’s cooking.

“Extreme’ looks into the past by presenting a litany of candies, such as atomic fireballs from the 1950s to Gummi Bears in the 1980s to Viper Venom in 2000.

The science center also separates myths from reality in “Romancing the Bean,’ a look at how chocolate gained its romantic reputation.

Visitors can find out if legendary lover Casanova used chocolate, when the first heart-shaped candy box went on sale for Valentine’s Day and the truth behind what people say about green M&Ms?

“Candy Unwrapped’ runs through Sept. 5 on the science center’s second floor. The science center is located on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, across the street from Heinz Field. Parking is free with admission. For more information on hours, prices and show times, call 412-237-3400 or visit the Web site at www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org.